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=PanzerJager
I certainly wouldnt be a good parent, but I do understand a little better why others choose to have children.
You're too young to be a parent. If you had kids now you wouldn't have any fun in life. Oh and you wouldn't post here as much because the real world would be too demnding.
Its not such a crazy idea afterall. ~:cheers:
People change over time or even experiences. One year ago I was a completely different person. Hell yesterday I was a different person. Tommorow=?
I like that . ~:cheers:Quote:
Originally Posted by English assassin
:laugh4:Quote:
So you have a ready supply of high-potential organ donors for your old age.
A NeoCon! Get in while its hot man, all the cool people are doing it.. ~;)Quote:
People change over time or even experiences. One year ago I was a completely different person. Hell yesterday I was a different person. Tommorow=?
Thanks G
Tim, i saw a pick of Mary M. already ~;) Nice girl !
There was a study released in Canada yesterday that ties the fact that our property crime rate is down by over 20% over the last ten years to the fact that the 15 to 24 year-old demographic is much smaller now than it was then due to declining birth rates in Canada.
There you have it:
We should all stop having kids, they only increase the crime rate.
See, im sacrificing for the civic good. ~;)
Yep, that's my problem too. I just find kids unpleasant, boring and a chore to be around. I imagine if I met ten year-old me, I'd hate him.Quote:
Originally Posted by Steppe Merc
I can't get over how ugly they are as babies, either.
Exactly. If I met myself at almost any age before around sophmore year I'd hate myself, because I was such a loser. I also don't have too many little cousins or, mainly older ones, so it's not like I know many little kids that I care for.
I guess most of the kids are so annoying because their parent's can't control them. I also end up yelling at little kids in the movie theater or in the restraunt to shut up, which sort of makes me look heartless... oh well. ~;)
I come from a "family" (and I use that word lightly as it was broken three times), by parents who thought more about themselves than us. One parent thought it was good for me, that I got whacked around the head by my stepfather (who she eventually divorced - due to domestic violence), because I made the coffee wrong, (I also got shot at and hit, because he thought it was funny to his friends). Another thought it was a good thing to leave us and go to another country (and have more kids) and abandon us with the other for the rest of our childhood & teenage lives (then subsequently divorced that one and abandoned them as well ... some even went to prison)
I resolved that, I would never have children unless I could provide a stable (own home) and loving a environment. Due to our careers, I found myself and my wife moving from city to city with promotions and redundancies, new employers, etc. When things seemed to eventually settle down, we were too old to consider them.
We now have what we call "Rent-a-Kids", from our brothers and sisters. We spoil them and give them our love and have resolved that should anything happen to us in the future we will give our estate to them in "trust" until they are 21.
Therefore if you decide to have kids, make sure you can provide a stable and loving environment to watch them grow and enjoy them and the rewards you get will far outweigh any costs of money and time spent otherwise they will end up as "cynical" and self-interested as me.
The university thing is easy. Put a bit of cash in a fund before the kid is born, and add a bit every year or so. My Dad started with about 100 bucks or so in my university fund. He's at over 70 000 Canadian now.
Sure, a man got to do what a man got to do.... ~;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Gawain of Orkeny
from a biological perspective, one would have children because that is, in essence, what we are designed to do. practically, your children are vessels for your genes. your individual nature can be, in some sense, carried forth into the future long after you are dead. why should anyone want to have their genes competing in the pools of the future? that depends on the person, i suppose.
personally, i don't know if i want kids or not. i'm not an especially responsible guy.
Why did I sigh with relief when I saw this? :shrug: :grin:Quote:
Originally Posted by PanzerJager
Thread necromancy! But in a good cause! There's a whole string of articles/blog posts on the pros and cons of having kids, and I could think of no better place to put them. To wit:
The case against happiness
The breeder's cup
Children and happiness
Reasons not to have more
Case against good parenting
Parental happiness overrated
Yeah, it seems like a huge gamble to me. They aren't little blank slates.
Because...
WE DON'T DIE, WE MULTIPLY!!!!!
History has proven that, and is continuing to do so. By 2045, more than 1/3 of Saskatchewan and Manitoba will be Aboriginal. We are not a mere footnote in history, my brothers.
Hmm. Part of me wants, some day, to have a kid or two. Probably so I could give them things I didn't have- I didn't get a car at 16, didn't get most of the nice luxuries my friends did, and lived most of my childhood with my dad in whichever apartment he was in at the time, spending most of my time by myself since he had to work two jobs to pay the bills. That part of me wants said future children to grow up less cynical, more friendly and warm. But then, my cynical, arrogant, and somewhat jealous nature looks to all the kids I knew in high school who didn't have a care in the world- dad earning plenty of income, mother free to stay home and care for the children, if she so desired, all their wants and needs desired- and declare them, on a 95% rate to be unfit people.
So I dunno, I guess is what I'm saying. Either way, its for a later time in life.
Why does a writer toil to create the great novel? Why does a painter strive for the masterpiece? We are by nature a creative species desiring for some sense of immortality. We are happiest when we are the most challanged in our creative endevors. Thus we have children because the process makes us happy and is some sense immortal.
Yes, okay, fine! For the love of God, man, what are you trying to convince us of? Also, isn't there a contradiction in saying that in 2045 1/3rd of the people living there will be aboriginals? In my opinion, anyone born and raised in a country is an aboriginal.Quote:
History has proven that, and is continuing to do so. By 2045, more than 1/3 of Saskatchewan and Manitoba will be Aboriginal. We are not a mere footnote in history, my brothers.
Great timing Lemur. You simply had to resurrect this thread, now, hmmm.... :mean:
If you say so, you do know that 73.5% of statistics are misleading though?Quote:
Originally Posted by Megas Methuselah
For the magazines?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lemur
UNless you have a child, you don't really understand.
My son is the only thing I love unconditionally, and would do anything for I would cheerfully put his happiness above my own. I would view life as pointless without children.
Money is a tool, not an end. Kids do require a lot of money. But what point is money sitting in the bank account?
~:smoking:
Wow, and here I thought a bunch of ghosts had come back to the Org. What would have really nailed it would have been resurrecting it on Father's Day. :beam:
yeah, any good kids will care for their parents in the old age... I wonder what PJ feels when he post that thread... 5 years ago...
*. Did he allready have some kids running arround now?
Took me a while to realise the thread date. It was surreal watching Tribesman reply so civily to PJ, without uttering the word bollox once!
Since PJ's still around, I'll give my thoughts on the OP. At first I would have been very much against having kids, but now I'm not so sure, I'm not the type of person that is going to want to travel the world or use my cash to live in luxury instead. Anyway, I don't think it's as bad as the OP makes out.
Not meaning to troll but didn't women used to care for kids themselves? I don't see how it can be a full time job for two parents (awaits massive flaming), I think there is a lot of nonsense these days like when dads are supposed to sit and play with their kids before they can walk.Quote:
Originally Posted by PanzerJaeger
How often do most kids get into any sort of serious trouble? Most of the time when kids to get into trouble they have the kind of parents that dont' care much anyway. The worst things I've done are just stupid things like smashing a window with a football or something.Quote:
Originally Posted by PanzerJaeger
I didn't do the whole teenage rebellion thing either, I think that only happens when parents don't get the right balance when they need to give their kids more independence. I got no independence (from about 12+, actually got plenty before then, but my mum had problems with stress, half the staff at her work have taken fullblown nervous brakedowns), but just spent my time gaming so it wasn't an issue. My brother though rebelled a lot, eventually he got his way, and now the youngest brother gets independence, and people get on fine mostly.Quote:
Originally Posted by PanzerJaeger
My parents never said anything to me of these things (praise the Lord!), and I never got involved in any of them, even now when I have independence to do what I like. Alcohol was a problem for some of my friends, leading to suspensions and explusion from school for one guy, but by that age it was clear where they were going with life so not really their parents problem much anyway.Quote:
Originally Posted by PanzerJaeger
Only the really spoilt brats are like that, upper-middle class types etc, and even then I would think they are still the minority. My brothers go to a private school, which I went to for a while, but they both accept that we're not as well off as most other people there and can't get all the latest stuff. And no chance of a car for a birthday. :no:Quote:
Originally Posted by PanzerJaeger
You really could tell the difference though between the really rich ones and the ones that got in on the cheap (due to involvement in the military, there's a massive naval base nearby). Most kids aren't spoilt brats.
Living in Scotland I get free university education. :biggrin:Quote:
Originally Posted by PanzerJaeger
Plus I never got assorted crap, I don't have a mobile or an ipod or CD's or fancy clothes (actually my parents tell me I look like a tramp). I never purchased anything beyond 50 quid probably before I got my student loan, then I got a PS3. :yes:
Although maybe you should see it as an investment, they can afford more to put you in a nicer care home when you are older, which you couldn't have afforded yourself.
Apologies; I don't know what inspired me to go browsing in the oldest threads on the board, but the spirit moved me. And this particular thread seemed to have relevance to a seris of articles I had recently read, and so on and so forth. I try not to commit necromancy for no good reason.Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Corleone
I consider it more of a hobby.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Technically speaking I agree. Spoilt brats get that way for a reason, poor parenting. I have a mate who was spoilt beyond imagination, but he didn't end up a brat. Then again I have friends who are your typical distinctly middle class brats who get what they want, whenever they want.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rhyfelwyr
Can't ignore them though. I likewise never really got any major direct talks from the parentals on the major stuff, and looking back on it I would have appreciated it. Teenage years are challenging times, and just some words, awkward as they would have been would have been appreciated. I think the most I got was, "You're growing up and pr0n may appeal to you, but it's demeaning to women, so don't." and "If you want to smoke you have to pay for it."Quote:
Originally Posted by Rhyfelwyr
Wow, can't believe it's been so long. We've lost a lot of greats over the years. Gained some too, though, so I guess it evens out.
Good articles, Lemur.
Nope, no kids. I feel a bit more mature five years later, but I haven't changed my position at all. Well, maybe a little. It's less about a cost/benefit analysis these days and more about my personal happiness. I just don't see kids having a positive effect on it. Selfish? Definitely. But if there is one area in life where we get to be selfish, it's in our choices in procreation.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cute Wolf
And thanks, Rhyfelwyr for the response. I don't really feel like defending a five year old post point by point, but you made lots of good ones.