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| My oldest two children, 1995 |
This article made me so sad! To quote just a bit of it:
In an analysis of the 2010 Census, USA TODAY, found that 95 percent of U.S. counties have fewer children today than they did in 2000.
In fact, it's more common to have a dog (43 million homes) than a child under 18 (38 million).
The decline makes sense, when considering that more and more adults are getting married later in life, if at all, and then postponing children until they have finished their education, or until they feel financially secure or more emotionally ready.
In fact, recent Census data show that for the first time, fewer than half of households were headed by "traditional" married couples, in what the New York Times called "a milestone in the evolution of the American family toward less-traditional forms."For more information on the census numbers, see this article in U.S. News and World Report.
In my opinion, this is a disturbing trend! And it makes me want to do more and be more to stand for the traditional family.
What can WE do-- today-- to help defend the traditional family and help other people understand the impact that a demographic winter could have on our society today and in future generations?
Pondering,
How terribly, terribly sad! No wonder society is getting worse and worse - the basic family unit is in decline!
ReplyDeleteThat's just scary. We are living in a backwards world.
ReplyDeleteI am saddened by the decline in birthrates.
ReplyDeleteThat being said that statistic is probably skewed. What about people who are past their childbearing/rearing years, if they are included then the statistic would be skewed toward childlessness not by choice, but by biology.
Just a thought.
So very sad! I heard a very odd speech on family and birth rates a few weeks ago. It basically said that upper-class families are having fewer children, but lower-class families are having more. He quoted several facts about the rising rate of foster care children were the father has children from multiple mothers and vice-versa. These types of "non-traditional families" are having more children than traditional families of one husband and one wife. In the long run, the speaker pointed out, there will be more children from non-traditional homes than traditional. His point was to show that people of upper-class traditional families should be having more children, not less. I think he was also advocating some other birth controls on parents of children in the foster care system, which I don't think is humane. I've seen many parents loose their children to foster care and yet continue to have more and more kids. One woman I met has 10 kids in foster care! The only good news is that many of those foster children go to loving child-less homes, another non-traditional setting I guess.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, my children and I heard this little speech and wondered what we can do about it. My husband and I took the time to teach them about family and the importance of having more children than we had. I regret not having MORE children. I followed what the doctors told me rather than my heart.
On the other hand, we need to teach values to the world and teach values in schools!
We just welcomed our fifth little one into our family. we are almost always greeted with shock and confusion when we tall this to people. I think the best thing we can do is respond to these people with positivity toward our children, expressing the love and gratitude we have for our children and our spouses.
ReplyDeleteA few weeks ago I read an article in the Sunday paper .A grandmother wrote Dear Abby and said her daughter had some nerve coming home and telling her she was pregnant with her third child.That she had helped her daughter and her husband enough and was shocked the daughter would have yet another baby. I decided to look online if anyone said the grandma should be happy and loving.Standing up for the unborn child. every responder thought the daughter was selfish to have another child. this is how our modern world sees a babe. its not all about money . If the grandparents felt it a burden maybe the mom could now be a stay at home mom.I really felt sad thinking is this the message we are giving the young mothers it is a burden, and selfish to have a child.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a sign of the times. We must just stand up when we can for The Family: A Proclamation To The World.
ReplyDeleteI have 6 children and 31 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren and I treasure each and everyone of them and are so happy that my children want and enjoy their children.
This is an issue that we need to talk more about and encourage others in fulfilling Heavenly Father's plan for his children.
What can we do? Teach our own children the joy and blessings of following the commandment of the Lord to multiply and replenish the earth. I know I've "brainwashed" my children with this teaching forever. We read The Family, A Proclamation to the World and have talked about our responsibilities to bring spirits to earth and the wonderful blessings this brings. We have five children, one daughter and four sons, none married yet. (Daughter is 22, oldest son is on a mission) We worry about them finding companions who will be old-fashioned enough to want "large" families.
ReplyDeleteFound your blog through motherhoodthegreatadventure.blogspot.com. So nice to read yours.