[friendly]

American women (except for FR babes) are exquisitely narcissistic and superficial. They are too selfish and self-centered to have children in their lives.

The French (of all people) have successfully achieved a rising birth rate with broad-based incentives for motherhood.

[Black Agnes]

Yes, but how many of those babies are really French and how many are simply Muslims living in France waiting for a demographic majority?

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Isn't France greatly subsidizing motherhood, not to mention daycare and healthcare? Maybe to them, it is a utopia.

[honeygrl]

"American women (except for FR babes) are exquisitely narcissistic and superficial. They are too selfish and self-centered to have children in their lives. "

And women like that really don't need to start having children. I guess the good mothers just need to have more children. Count me out though because the two I have are going to send me to a looney bin. If I added one more to the circus, you might find me under the bed hiding from them or moving in with my mother in law.

[ex-snook]

"The French (of all people) have successfully achieved a rising birth rate with broad-based incentives for motherhood. "

Incentives?? Careers have 'liberated' women. But many women have to work to support the family. Men have been outsourced, laid off, down sized and unable to provide for a family. Others just walk away from the children they create and women use Uncle Sam as the foster father.

Too bad Thompson has not figured out why but he does appear to be an empty suit. But this is a potential future problem for SS.

[LizardQueen]

American women (except for FR babes) are exquisitely narcissistic and superficial. They are too selfish and self-centered to have children in their lives.

This is a blanket statement that I disagree with. While some childless women certainly are incredibly shallow, many others haven't found the right guy, aren't in a position where bringing a child into the world would be a good decision, or have decided that if they can't do it right they aren't going to do it at all. Opting out under those circumstances certainly isn't selfish - it's quite the opposite.

LQ

[not_apathetic_anymore]

American women (except for FR babes) are exquisitely narcissistic and superficial. They are too selfish and self-centered to have children in their lives.

Careful now. We're not all that narcissistic and superficial:)

This female FReeper got to that age where the clock was ticking very loudly. At the time I was not married. I had/have a good job and could have afforded nannycare. No one else would have had to chip in financially. I discussed the issue with a male friend who agreed to be a donor if thats what I really wanted. When I really gave thought to it I decided that it would be very selfish and self-centered to intentionally bring a child into a single-parent household.

[Doc On The Bay]

I Preface my comments by stating that I am basing them on impressions I have after seeing large numbers of (often conflicting) reports regarding our culture.

What I (in my poor capacity to understand such things) understand is that the average, "Middle Class Family" in the '50's paid ~ 3-4% of their Income to Taxes.

Currently, the "average" Middle Class Family must pay ~ 40% of their income to Taxes.

MANY--if not Most--Middle class families need a "Second Earner" JUST to cover the Massively Increased Tax Burden.

This increased financial burden has required that BOTH parents work to support a "Lifestyle" previously supported by one "Earner!"

There is, therefore, NO MYSTERY why our MOST PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS (our "Middle Class") now produce fewer children---a stable, sane, productive, moral, educated youth REQUIRE an "at-home-parent" for their first five years.

Our TAX STRUCTURE is destroying our ability to raise a Family with the constant supervision of AT LEAST one parent.

I think we instinctively know that constant parental supervision is ESSENTIAL for proper "Socialization" of Human Children--at LEAST for the first 6-10 years of Their Lives.

I believe our "Birth Rate" is down because we instinctively understand that we CANNOT PRODUCE "Human Beings" unless we have AT LEAST one Parent supervising & "Civilizing" the SAVAGES we produce as "Children" for the first ~ decade of Their lives!

[wazoo1031]

Hey now! Y'all just need to pipe down a bit! It takes a lot of money to raise a child properly, and by that I mean one parent to stay home to raise said child properly. I used to plan having a child or two, but as a single woman working her way through college in New Orleans at an older age, I did not exactly meet "Prince Charming". (The time literally flies; One day your ovaries are ready and then in the blink of an eye your in your mid-30's going "Huh?!") I have now met him however, and unfortunately at 36 it may be getting too late for me, as I want to go to graduate school (Not to mention my boyfriend lives in England, so even IF I have a baby, my little 1/2 American will probably be born over there). It really is simple: raising a child IS a career as well as a drastic lifestyle choice/change. There is no written law that says that every woman must bear children. Some women simply do not want to produce children, for their own personal reasons, and they contribute to society in many more ways than just being reduced to a "vessel". I would never have a kid and then have to turn around to get my WIC handout and my "guvmnt cheeze". My siblings and I come from a large family...and there is one niece that we all share. We adore her.

[wazoo1031]

Hey now! Y'all just need to pipe down a bit! It takes a lot of money to raise a child properly, and by that I mean one parent to stay home to raise said child properly. I used to plan having a child or two, but as a single woman working her way through college in New Orleans at an older age, I did not exactly meet "Prince Charming". (The time literally flies; One day your ovaries are ready and then in the blink of an eye your in your mid-30's going "Huh?!") I have now met him however, and unfortunately at 36 it may be getting too late for me, as I want to go to graduate school (Not to mention my boyfriend lives in England, so even IF I have a baby, my little 1/2 American will probably be born over there). It really is simple: raising a child IS a career as well as a drastic lifestyle choice/change. There is no written law that says that every woman must bear children. Some women simply do not want to produce children, for their own personal reasons, and they contribute to society in many more ways than just being reduced to a "vessel". I would never have a kid and then have to turn around to get my WIC handout and my "guvmnt cheeze". My siblings and I come from a large family...and there is one niece that we all share. We adore her.

[Mamzelle]

re: American women (except for FR babes) are exquisitely narcissistic and superficial. They are too selfish and self-centered to have children in their lives. )))

Sometimes you can marry into a family and discover that they have an icky-poo reaction to the idea of childbirth and children. My inlaws successfully turned off three of DH's siblings from having kids, and my kids are the last of their Mohicans--and I get the impression they could do without *them*. (?)Where do they think *they* came from?

This thing perplexed and hurt for years--only recently got over it. It's a national trend of distaste for "breeders".

Isn't the gals, IMO. Abortion is a promiscuous man's best friend.