What is the point to having kids these days? Are people having children for the wrong reasons?

A lot of people have kids for the wrong reasons. I see so many young girls having babies these days and most of them have their parents raising them. With birth control so readily available accidents should be few and far between. I believe they are getting pregnant just because all their friends are and they think it's cool.

Some women want a baby to get and keep a guy. Many married women have a baby to try to fix a shaky marriage.

As a woman with 5 children I know that some women get a strong urge to have a baby. On the other hand some women never experience that need. Not every woman is meant to be a mother and some are smart enough to realize that.

The world is a mess but it has been a mess before and it has never stopped people from having children.

A baby can bring a lot of joy into your life if you truly want a child and are ready to accept the total commitment that goes with parenthood

What you say is true, but has been since the beginning of time. Read up on history, and you will see that there was crime, divorce, no work, etc. The good old days is always about the now generation looking back to when we were kids; my folks complained about all that you mentioned, and yet that generation had us. And so it goes. There will be those that have kids for the wrong reasons, and for the right reasons. It isn't up to parents to give kids a good life, because who can define what a good life is; the future is theirs to choose, after a good education. My role as a parent was to give food, shelter, clothing and an education, along side of training as to how to be an adult. My responsibility was 100% when they were born, releasing a percentage with each year, until at 18 they were 0% my responsibility and 100% their own.

On anti-depressents? Goodness me, who are these kids you know. I'm a counselor to teenagers and none of them are on medications. They have problems, yes, but are willing and society allows them now to discuss them with appropriate people. Years ago, women had few career choices, and mental illnesses were pushed under the rug. And heaven forbid, if a lady got pregnant; she was shipped away.

Thank God today is different, but still the same in some areas. Having a child means nothing other than you are thinking more about someone else rather than having the freedom to live only for yourself. Parenting is a sacrifice, even bad parenting. Bad parents were not born that way; somewhere along the way someone didn't get to a person to teach them how to parent. But parents give up time, money, sleep and worry in love about their children. How wonderful to have a focus outside of ourselves. Have a child...when you are in a mature, loving relationship and able to provide basic necessities, and you will have joy beyond measure.

But you may never see it from your child. Some children do not appreciate their parents. But never mind, the joy is still there, and hopefully, you will find this joy in life. By giving, not getting. Have a great day.

I have children because my other half and I want to have a family together. Being together as a couple is really wonderful, but there is something you get-emotionally-from becoming a family that you could never get otherwise. It is a desire you'll understand when you reach the right point in your life.

Also, the things that you are talking about don't effect everyone. My husband and I aren't getting divorced, he has a great job, we homechool to get around the terrible government education system and are already saving for college (our oldest is a toddler), we actually have pretty good health insurance, our home isn't the Ritz but it's certainly serviceable, and your view on the future is certainly a personal one and not necissarily what everyone feels or sees happening. We worked really hard to get ourselves into a life like this-for ourselves AND for our kids-and all of us have good lives and good futures.

After all, your life and your future are what you make them.

I have children because I want to have a family with the person I love and provide a caring and supportive life for members of our future generation. Kids are the next generation and will populate the planet one day, its every animals nature to reproduce and I think you are making a huge deal out of a lot of issues that don't come into effect when people are deciding if they should have children. Yes there are a lot of bad things in the world, but I believe that my family and my children make it a better one.

Those things you mentioned aren't the problem. It's a lot of parents today who are useless and lazy, and blame the education system, health system, government, and employment opportunities for not raising their kids properly.

People have children because mainly it's the natural thing to do. I believe that many people have children for the wrong reasons, just as many people marry for wrong reasons also. But, we all tend to get what we expect to get.The trick here is in being aware of our expectations and directing them intelligently. Also, the term you used,"good", is relative.Not everyone see's the "good" that you see. We all have a unique perspective or platform from which we view life and it is from this which we base our decisions, as well as our belief systems, which in turn dictates the outcome .

I had kids b/c I wanted them. The world isn't perfect but there is alot of beuty to be found in it. I happen to think I can give my kids a good life. They might not drive or wear name brand clothes or a car, but they will have a good life.

I'm sure some people have children for the wrong reasons. That doesn't mean that everyone does. If you don't want to have one, then by all means, don't. A person who doesn't want children is certain to be a LOUSY parent, and we don't need more children from people like that.

I had kids because I wanted to. And, I dont think the world is such a bad place.

You are only finding gray clouds to go with the silver linings of having children. What an optimist!

Henny455- nice spelling. Go make an appointment to get snipped!

Because I love them and want my own and know I will be a good parent.