Recent science proves that good parenting, not government heavy-handedness to "save the children," is what makes a child's formative years healthy for brain development. Science sure does seem to be backing a very quaint old idea: if parents would concentrate less on buying shiny things, and more on sacrificing to provide for their kids, they would have better educated, more balanced children. Mommy (or sometimes daddy) staying home and educating them and making sure that sex offenders aren't chatting with their kids is not good for that new beamer, but it seems to work pretty well for junior's socialization and upbringing.
What's next? Will scientists find out that working less than eighty hours a week to buy that new luxury or sports car also has been proven to significantly reduce the risk of heart disease?
Mike, Mike, Mike.
This slows down the take the children from their parents when they are born (if they even get that far) mentality.
Are you trying to inform people and help them, or what?
This confounds me.
Mostly because the people who really need to read and understand this, won't do it.
Good post, though.
At this point, I almost find myself finding a bit of dark humor in the whole thing. You could even point to empirical studies that prove this a second time, and in the end, "but I want to work and be happy" will be the average parent's response, especially a woman's response.
I don't know why people have kids if they don't want to raise them.
Because they can be status symbols, pets, etc.