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Comments:
Michael McC. - 2004-06-01 10:13:59 Heard a lot about this in Canada over the weekend. They are afraid of losing population due to low birthrates. Judging from the Canadian survey, findings marriages are happier without kids. Is it a woman's job anymore to prop up a nation's numbers? * * * * * * * * * * * * Anna - 2004-06-01 14:03:53 Funny, this seems to be a universally interesting theme these days. There was a story this weekend in the NYT Magazine about China's concerns about an aging population and not enough young 'uns to take care of them. Appears that one-child one-couple policy has cut growth so quickly that they're actually losing numbers, and now that women are in the workplace, people in China don't really even want to have more than one. What's funny is the strong bias people have toward male children has resulted in a pretty big lop-sidedness, with many younger men worried about not finding wives. After this shortage, maybe the next generation will find females more worthy.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-06-01 22:03:08 From those interesting comments, this topic seems to have more of a buzz than I'd thought. It's odd that a country would be afraid of losing population, given that we're way beyond sustainability now, due to inept distribution methods (despite an alleged sufficiency of food for everyone). My sis loves motherhood and more power to her & she's very good at it--but as for me, as a Louise Erdrich character wondered in one of Erdrich's novels, I wonder if it's ultimately worth it...people always talk about kids being the hope of the future which strikes me as silly--adults have immeasurably more power to change the state of affairs, right now, than kids do. At any rate.* * * * * * * * * * * * Iss - 2004-06-01 22:04:48 Nephews nonwithstanding, I still waited 5 yrs into marriage to have kids....thank goodness..and kinda believe that having more than replacement value (scads of kids) is certainly a choice but given overcrowding, loss of natural resources, and whatnot, it's just a tad irresponsible. Having also seen so many crappy parents of wanted kids, anyone not really into it all should be equally supported (time off, work from home, etc) as parents are, and certainly should recognize that personal feeling as a normal reason not to have kids. * * * * * * * * * * * * Iss - 2004-06-01 22:07:19 Hey, TW - we posted w/in mere minute of each other! * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-06-01 22:19:34 Thanks for weighing in dear sis! You know, although I love time with Nic and Dan and telling Nic that I have to take a little boat out to the island in my pond and similar fun with wee ones, I chose differently and I'd just like to say I appreciate that we can discuss that in a calm and civil manner here--thanks Iss! Did I mention you're a terrific mom? First-rate, in my biased opinion. (note: "TW" refers to "Tante Wad" which is me).* * * * * * * * * * * * Anna - 2004-06-02 09:20:25 BTW, it's not just peoples' assumptions about women and child raising that's getting a second look. There is some interesting literature out there on the social psychology of divorce. It turns out that after an initial adjustment period, women are both happier and have better health after a divorce both than when they were married and compared with men who are divorced. They say that it isn't that divorce is so great for women, it's that marriage doesn't afford the sorts of benefits for women as it does for men (including better mental and physical health outcomes).* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-06-02 09:24:57 to contribute one anecdotal nugget to Anna's fascinating information--that's been absolutely true for me, 100%. * * * * * * * * * * * * cold-video - 2004-09-04 21:59:16 video cold* * * * * * * * * * * * Free-HOME - 2004-10-03 08:24:39 Free HOME* * * * * * * * * * * * add your comment: |