G
gregory w
Guest
If Thomas Paine were alive today, he would write another addition to his book, “Common Sense”. But this book would have the title: “Stop having kids – the road to wealth” In today’s society of “work first, family second”, being a parent has become the single greatest stumbling block to economic success. With the current economic downturn, layoffs are common, and people with children are less likely to accept a better job or a job period if it means moving their children to another state. Consequently, they accept employment that pays meager wages. It is time for people to wise up and let go of traditions that don’t serve their best interests. Young adults should not bow to parental pressure to produce grandchildren. More often than not, the grandparents won’t volunteer to fork over money for daycare, and cannot take care of their grandchildren when they are sick. In the future, adults will be stuck with taking care of their children and their aging parents, stretching their limited resources to the breaking point. The answer: STOP HAVING CHILDREN. It’s a fact that the poorest countries in the world don’t encourage birth control. The correlation between poverty and having children is obvious. For couples who are well established, sure, consider having one or two children, but only if you can afford to send them to college. For those who are struggling to take care of themselves, young couples who can’t even afford the down payment for a new home, bringing another child into this world is stupid. Let’s analyze the old biblical scripture that says, “Be fruitful and multiply”. This was the charge given to the early Israelites, and since we have more that six billion people on the planet, I’d say we have multiplied enough. Let’s look at another argument, “I need to have kids so that they will take care of me when I get old.” The reality is if you ever get to the point of needing assisted care, they will more that likely ship you off to a nursing home. You are far better off not having kids and investing in a long-term care insurance plan. I must be honest, I have one child, and I love her more than life itself. I am committed to being there for her, but the personal price that I have paid has been astronomical. The skill-set that I possess pays extremely well, but only if I am willing to travel. To make a long story short, I am barely making ends meet instead of earning six figures a year. America, it is time to spread the word, “Life can be great without having children, and far less expensive.”