The original post has been deleted, but the first comment is LONG - and thoughtful! (There are very few.)

https://www.reddit.com/r/childfree/comments/1gcr7hy/confliction_about_ever_having_kids/

Excerpt:


chavrilfreak:

"...So when it comes to making this decision, you should start from the basics: by asking yourself if you would find genuine joy in devoting
yourself, your knowledge, skills, time, money and energy to caring for
another independent human being with no guarantees and no returns of investment, in all kinds of situations, for two decades or more
(probably more, in today's economy).

"Above all, when you envision parenthood, it's important to be realistic
about it - which means thinking about the worst possible scenarios, not
just abstract cute stuff. What if your kid has disabilities of any kind?
What if they develop mental health issues? Could you parent an immobile
child or a nonverbal child or a severely depressed child or a child with
panic attacks? Don't just think how you'd feel about that, make actual
plans for how you'd address those things, how much they would cost, what options are available to address them in your locality, in what ways
would they change your lifestyle, etc.

"What if your kids don't share any of your interests and don't connect
with you as they grow older? What if they pick a career you don't
understand or care about, what if they turn out to be queer or part of
some other vulnerable minority - all things that may result in you
having to cut off potentially bigoted friends and relatives, or even
relocating your family to a place where your kid won't be prosecuted and
will be able to live a safe and happy life? What if your kids end up
with moral or political beliefs you don't support, what if they pick a
religion that's different from what you believe in? What if they make
friends you don't like, don't do well in school, get into drugs, have
partners you don't approve of? Have kids of their own and expect you to
babysit or support them financially even once they're long past the
point of legal adulthood? Again, don't just have vague thoughts about
this, plan out how you'd deal with these things..."

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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