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Having It All Without Having Children
Time ^ | Aug. 12, 2013 | Lauren Sandler

Posted on 08/04/2013 8:34:51 AM PDT by Kip Russell

One evening when she was 14 years old, Laura Scott was washing dishes in the kitchen with her mother when she decided she didn't want to have a child. At 26, Scott got married and waited for her mind to change. "It never happened," she says. "And I realized I was going to be fine." Now 50, Scott is more than fine: she's fulfilled. And she's not alone. The birthrate in the U.S. is the lowest in recorded American history. From 2007 to 2011, the most recent year for which there's data, the fertility rate declined 9%. A 2010 Pew Research report showed that childlessness has risen across all racial and ethnic groups, adding up to about 1 in 5 American women who end their childbearing years maternity-free, compared with 1 in 10 in the 1970s.

(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...


TOPICS: Society
KEYWORDS: abortion; birthrate; childfree; generationy; moralabsolutes; timemag; trends
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To: Kip Russell

Ahhh... The selfish, child-free, narcissistic life!


61 posted on 08/04/2013 1:14:30 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: Kip Russell
One evening when she was 14 years old, Laura Scott was washing dishes in the kitchen with her mother when she decided she didn't want to have a child. At 26, Scott got married and waited for her mind to change. "It never happened," she says. "And I realized I was going to be fine." Now 50, Scott is more than fine: she's fulfilled.

Fine. Some niece or nephew, or random stranger, will be stuck with burying her and dealing with the estate.

62 posted on 08/04/2013 1:15:52 PM PDT by Lee N. Field ("You keep using that verse, but I do not think it means what you think it means.")
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To: Huntress

My little guy came around for me after fifty. Having a retirement baby is fun.


63 posted on 08/04/2013 1:16:07 PM PDT by A CA Guy ( God Bless America, God Bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: Huntress
Yes, he was sorry that he didn't have any kids. He was a happy, generous guy and an avid model airplane flier. He had a lot to share and pass on and regretted his lost opportunities for parenthood.

No - it isn't about my wants or my legacy - it is about standards of behavior and honor. I have raised my children to respect those standards and to live up to them. Being a parent is all about courage and sacrifice and I would expect my children to do no less than I have and the long line of tough, courageous ancestors who went before them. My father and both uncles served in WWII, both grandfathers served in WWI, several served in the Civil War, one served on George Washington's staff during our revolution.

Too good a family/genetic chain to deadend so I can buy a BMW.

64 posted on 08/04/2013 1:44:48 PM PDT by Chainmail (A simple rule of life: if you can be blamed, you're responsible.)
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To: Kip Russell

Go ahead and breed yourselves out of existence, libs. Meanwhile, conservatives like my wife and I, have produced four American patriots who are going to take this country back from your spawn.

Oh wait......that’s right.....you’re not having any offspring, are you?

Even better.


65 posted on 08/04/2013 2:41:52 PM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: Kip Russell
I don't want any to begin with. :-)

Never say never. I once thought just like you. I now have four kids at home, and couldn't be happier.

66 posted on 08/04/2013 2:43:53 PM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: momtothree
IMHO, if you don’t want children then fine. However, don’t plan on changing your mind when you hit 40 something.

As a young adult, I ran in musician circles. Nearly every person I knew, was unmarried. Most weren't even in a committed relationship.

For a long time, that was just fine, but as myself and my circle of friends pushed into our mid thirties, I began to sense a certain nervousness on the part of the women. By the time we were all into our late thirties, most of them radiated something like total panic.

Overnight, it seemed to me that every one of the perpetually childless womyn I knew, was working overtime to have a baby. Unfortunately for most, they either couldn't get a stable relationship together, or they'd had so many abortions that childbirth was too risky.

67 posted on 08/04/2013 2:54:48 PM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: Kip Russell
I'm just past 50 now, and can honestly say that there isn't the slightest chance I'll ever want children.

Hmm.....looks like I spoke too soon.

I've got a brother like you. 59, and has never had children. It wasn't that he never wanted any. He just couldn't sort out how to create a stable relationship for so long, that he lost his window of opportunity.

That said, I suppose the rest of us siblings made up for his deficit. We've got 20 kids between the five of us.

68 posted on 08/04/2013 2:58:58 PM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: A CA Guy
My little guy came around for me after fifty. Having a retirement baby is fun.

My youngest boy came the month after I turned 51. That was nine years ago. I'm still working, but I tell you, he's the best thing I ever made.

69 posted on 08/04/2013 3:09:15 PM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: elcid1970
It never ceases to amaze how many self described conservatives think they should judge or determine how other people live their lives.

Kinda reminds me of liberals who want to tell others what to eat and drink.

70 posted on 08/04/2013 3:32:03 PM PDT by lonestar (It takes a village of idiots to elect a village idiot.)
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To: lonestar; elcid1970
Well said.

I personally think how you were raised and what sort of childhood you had has an enormous effect on your urge or complete lack of same to have children.

Couple that with unstable work environment robbing you of confidence in the future can easily kill any nascent need to have children until the time is long past.

71 posted on 08/04/2013 4:11:48 PM PDT by doorgunner69
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To: doorgunner69

and the ability to casually murder your unborn before you take a cruise


72 posted on 08/04/2013 4:13:15 PM PDT by GeronL
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To: GeronL

non sequitur, unless you were replying to someone else..........


73 posted on 08/04/2013 4:22:13 PM PDT by doorgunner69
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To: doorgunner69

the article, they can have it all as long as they don’t mind sucking out the babies every so often


74 posted on 08/04/2013 4:24:01 PM PDT by GeronL
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To: ctdonath2
Kids are as expensive as you want them to be. Cloth diapers, consignment sales, breast feeding, homeschooling, teach them frugality & productivity, make them start a business & build a home before moving out - cheap. Disposable diapers, new boutique clothing, formula, premium private schools, endless “educational” toys, new car at 16 - expensive.

There's certainly a lot to what you say...but the fact remains that even if one is as as frugal as that, you're still going to wind up spending a lot of money on your kids.

Or, in the case of those supported by The State, a lot of other people's money.

75 posted on 08/04/2013 4:42:43 PM PDT by Kip Russell (Be wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors -- and miss. ---Robert A. Heinlein)
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To: Lancey Howard
Ahhh... The selfish, child-free, narcissistic life!

When I think of selfishness as it applies to one's children, I think a of single mother with half a dozen kids who has never worked a day in her life because she's supported by The State, not someone who doesn't have any kids but is a net taxpayer and not a net tax receiver.

But that's just me.

76 posted on 08/04/2013 4:45:34 PM PDT by Kip Russell (Be wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors -- and miss. ---Robert A. Heinlein)
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To: GeronL

It’s really not tough to go childless without abortions. In 23 years we’ve never even thought the wife might be pregnant, much less actually made her pregnant. Sperm aren’t that smart, outwitting them isn’t difficult.


77 posted on 08/04/2013 4:46:43 PM PDT by discostu (Go do the voodoo that you do so well.)
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To: Windflier
Oh wait......that’s right.....you’re not having any offspring, are you?

The DINKs may not be, but the Welfare Queens certainly are.

78 posted on 08/04/2013 4:47:45 PM PDT by Kip Russell (Be wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors -- and miss. ---Robert A. Heinlein)
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To: Kip Russell
Yeah, well my post was in the context of the TIME cover story and the thread. I try to stay on point.

But that's just me.

79 posted on 08/04/2013 4:49:25 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: Windflier
I've got a brother like you. 59, and has never had children. It wasn't that he never wanted any. He just couldn't sort out how to create a stable relationship for so long, that he lost his window of opportunity.

Hm...doesn't sound like he's very much like me, then. As you said, it's not that he doesn't want any...but in my case, I don't want any and never have.

80 posted on 08/04/2013 4:51:50 PM PDT by Kip Russell (Be wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors -- and miss. ---Robert A. Heinlein)
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