BellaOnline Forums Relationships Married No Kids Stupid Reasons For Having Kids

Mike,

It sounds like that colleague Ralph did his "duty", yours and a few other peoples' by having five kids! Whoa!!

I agree, it's much better to do your duty by being a responsible resident of this planet, and doing your best to reduce your impact on it. Few people even think about that, but just about anyone can have children. Maybe if people had a few less children, and did more to help other people, this world would be a better place.

Cindy


[quote=Mike_e]Hey Amber,
Welcome, you'll find this to be a congenial, supportive group.

A former colleague of mine, Ralph, father of 5, used to ask "You aren't going to do your duty (raise a family)?" At the time I was 24, it was early in my career and I wanted to make a good impression with this fellow. I had great respect for his surveying knowledge. So I answered his query with " I haven't met the right girl yet" and steered the conversation back to the task we were working on. Fortunately I only worked with this guy on a few occasions. If I had to work with him every day, it could have become a very unpleasant situation.

If I were to meet Ralph today here is how I would answer his "doing your duty" question, now that I am 37, in a committed relationship and sterile!:

I have done my duty by:

1) Always using good birth control
2) Walking to work 2/3 of the time. Walking to the county clerk, county offices, banks and title companies on company errands. All of these offices are within an easy walk of the office I work at, yet my three coworkers and nearly everyone who works for the county, bank or title company will always drive.
3) Not contributing to overpopulation and host of other environmental problems.
4) Never fathering a child as the result of an unwanted pregnancy since I have had a successful vasectomy. Read the link below from the planned parenthood site
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I would have to say that the dumbest reason I have heard is......

"To save our marriage."


WHAT!!!!!!

I've heard Dr. Phil say so many times...

"A child should not be born with a job." Which is exactly what happens when people have a child to "save their relationship" or hold onto someone who really wants to leave.

Cindy

Very cool, Mike and PG. I am also very environmentally-conscious, recycling as much as possible, reusing as much as possible, and we have a compost pile in the backyard. I work about 3 miles from my house and either walk or ride my bike every day the second it gets nice enough out so I don't freeze. (It's a health club so I can shower and change and everything there.) I also ride my bike on as many errands as possible. When one of our cars died, we ended up buying a Toyota Yaris (couldn't afford a Prius) and we LOVE how efficient it is (34 mpg city, 38 mpg highway.)

I think I will concentrate on "being even MORE environmentally-friendly" as a reason for not having a child.

Oh, I just wanted to add to my totally-off-topic previous post, although it is similar to not wanting a child. I no longer use my dryer except in emergencies. We use the line outside in the summer, and in the winter we have a line in one of our little-used rooms where we hang all our laundry. When I tell one of my friends, I get a similar reaction to when I say I don't want kids - they look at me like I have 3 heads. One "friend" told me the other day that that's the goofiest thing. Well, if I had a basement, I'd put the line down there!

We've saved over $200 on gas so far this winter. We also keep the house at 56 - I like bundling up and being cozy and my husband isn't home often enough that it would bother him. At night we snuggle in blankets on the couch and watch TV or read - it's VERY cozy!

And yet people tell us that we're crazy ... we also are conscious about using electricity. In Chicago electric rates jumped about 30% because a rate freeze was lifted. Our bill went up $5. My neighbor's bill went up about $25.

If I had KIDS my energy bills wouldn't be as cheap, believe me!!!! Even the electric companies say that for every extra person your usage goes up 15-20%.

GO ME!!!!

I wish I could stand to turn the thermostat that low. Then again, I make up for it in the summer by barely using the ac.

The worst reason I've heard so far for having children is "I felt that I'd already had too many abortions. I just couldn't have another." I'm pro-choice, but it just disgusts me when people won't even try to use birth control.

And yes; I really have heard this excuse.

From Bassgrrl; "I'm pro-choice, but it just disgusts me when people won't even try to use birth control."

I totally agree! I know someone who had 3 abortions in the span of 18 months, got pregnant a 4th time decided to keep it. She is now pregnant again.

Same here - pro-choice but anti-dumbass.

OMG that is hilarious!
After a certain # of abortions should you not get sterilized?? People are stupid.

Well said!