Give Them Life

Oh my friend, do not have children! You bring them into the world and they send you out of it. You give them life, and they give you your death blow.

A few years ago we probably would not have paid too much attention to these words of advice from one of Balzac’s novels. But they have become very relevant to our time because there is a swelling tide of anti-child mentality among us-negative and cynical feelings about having children and raising them. For example, in a poll of 10,000 college students concerning future plans and hopes, 60% said they had absolutely no intention of having children. This response was generated partly by student concern for the over-population problem, but mostly it stemmed from a reluctance to get involved in the hassle, the responsibility, the sacrifice of raising kids. “It’s not worth it,” the students said.

In an “Ann Landers” newspaper column, this question was asked of parents: “If you had it to…