AmericanPapist Comments
What a load of bullshit.
Kids are overrated
"parenthood was perceived as significantly more stressful in the 1970s than in the 1950s; the researchers attribute part of that change to major shifts in employment patterns."
Researchers said that? Why, it must be true; they're researchers!
All I really got out of this article was a reaffirmation that selfishness is increasingly popular.
How are they using the term "Happiness"? Are they being good philosophers about it? Doubtful. So all they can show us is how much more stress kids are these days, which isn't a measure of happiness. Who ever said a fulfilling life wasn't stressful from time to time?
This article is so wrong, in so many ways. But for the Grace of God, I would believe that life on this planet is destined for the fate described in Wells' The Times Machine: an exceedingly comfortable and pointless way of life, scarcely aware that it is alive (or what this might mean), and only suffered to exist at all to feed darker appetites dwelling below.
Actually, if most parents are "happier" when grocery shopping or sleeping rather than spending time with their children, it explains a lot. Such as why more people have children than bother to raise them. Or why the little brats get "cranky" when their parents have to shuttle them school.
Last week was the anniversary of the final apparition at Lourdes and Our Lady's words to St. Bernadette come to mind: "I do not promise to make you happy in this world, but in the next." The questions should be reevaluated indeed.
Teep: Who said personal happiness was the purpose of life?
Parental love is a great mystery.
Consider, for example, the kinds of physical and emotional demands that a small baby (and let's not even get into teenagers) makes upon his or her parents.
Would anyone willingly welcome such a guest into the home with full knowledge of the sleepless nights and disgusting messes that are sure to accompany the little intruder?
Does the family's economic well-being ever improve as a result of the new addition?
The only explanation is the kind of love that we experience from sharing in God's creation of another unique human being.
Would it be to much to hope that the folks at Newsweek might one day come to understand the source of that love?
The comments on that article are interesting. Many of those without children seem to think there are two options in life:
1) Not have children.
2) Be forced to have children because of peer pressure or by accident.
Nowhere does their logic include the concept of people actually wanting to have children.
I don't have 5 kids because I was forced to. I chose to accept children, and God gave them to us.
The really sad comments are those who resent/regret having children. They blame their lack of happiness on the children, when it's definitely not the fault of the children (that is, the children didn't do anything to cause a loss of happiness in the parents, other than "exist")
It's funny how many arm-chair psychologists commented on that article, mostly childless-by-choice people who come across as being very bitter.
I wonder how things would measure up if they analyzed the answers based on planned vs. unplanned children.
Newsweek = Newsweak. It's a left-wing loon rag, so their surveys are heavily scewed to left-wing thinking. Tom
The article confuses happiness with fun. Sometimes raising children is plain-old no fun. Even the most overly-optimistic parent will concur with that.
Just ask your priest. They see people on their deathbeds all the time. Mine said he's heard many who said they wished they had had more children. He has yet to hear anyone say they wished they had had fewer.
College tuition = blues?
The last time I checked, parents were proud and overjoyed to send their children off to college. At least mine were.
Just because something can be painful and demand sacrifice, does not mean that it makes you less happy. But of course, secular media doesn't understand love, sacrifice and suffering in the context of our faith.
With or without kids, only one thing will make you truly joyful. You'd think that since the Pope was making headlines, they'd have a clue. =)
And as Blessed Mother Teresa said: "I have found a great paradox: if I love until it hurts, there is no hurt, only more love."
I have always enjoyed being with my children, even at the grocery and while sleeping. Also when the baby is totally breastfed, there are only sweet diapers! Attachment parenting and ecological breastfeeding really bring the joy to the forefront in parenting. My 7 year old had an idea that he wanted to catch a bird. He lay down on a mechanic's creeper in the middle of the front yard and placed a piece of bread on his stomach. He lay v-e-r-y still so that the bird would come close and see the bread. But he lay so still he fell asleep. My husband removed the bread and replaced it with a white feather. Then my son woke up, saw the feather and was told by my husband that a bird had come. My son told me very earnestly that a white crow had taken the bread!
"Sometimes raising children is plain-old no fun."
Until you hit the point of sleep-deprivation where having the baby poo on everything just makes you giggle.
Seriously, even on the roughest nights my baby boy can make me smile. Fun isn't where it's at; it's just having him.
You know, I do like the freedom I enjoy being single and not having any responsibilities beyond making sure my bills are paid. But I think I will derive a more lasting happiness from being married and having children. A more eternal sort of happiness is the end goal! :D
I also think that the fact that many children these days are neglected emotionally (tv, daycare, etc.) and as a result they are not pleasant people to spend time with.
Hannah: "And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon ..."
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