The CDC reported that the U.S. birth rate has fallen below the rate of replacement. Responses were predictable.
At least, responses of anyone below 50 and within spitting distance of middle class were predictable.
But beyond the immediate economic reasons, one I haven't seen pointed out is why I really admire my peers who are parents. (Full disclosure: don't have kids myself, but friends do. And these days I work with kids on a regular basis).
From what I've seen in the last, oh, 15 years? Becoming a parent in America these days means every fuckstick within earshot suddenly feels the need to voice their opinion. Like they made the mental leap from, "It takes a village," to, "I'm auntie/uncle to everyone wearing short pants within 100ft."
A chunk of 'em look like they have CPS on speed dial (and the less said about that festering rectal polyp of local bureaucracy, the better). And the Gods help your blood pressure if you don't have a retained lawyer on yours.
And that's without mentioning the circle of bullshit that are public schools. Admin playing to the local political power base and terrified of lawsuits. Teachers terrified of anything that draws admin's notice while doing the jobs of parent, nurse, counselor, coach, and maybe get some teaching done in there. Add in "those" parents out there, the ones blind to the fuckery perpetrated by their own spawn, but ready to bring down the might of the first lawyer they saw on a billboard at the slightest hint of anything less than the best bestowed upon said spawn.
You want to believe it would work if everyone wanted it to. But they don't, so it devolves back into "screw over others before they screw over you."
Add in that we've finally admitted that there's no guarantees of a future anymore. College, trade school, the military, STEM, humanities... they're all rolling dice to see if you can even try, then rolling to see if it will help you succeed or just leave you in the mud.
That's assuming we don't just set the place on fire any minute now the way France is.
Fuck. You're willingly being a parent these days, you're a fucking superhero.
Keep up the good work.
At least, responses of anyone below 50 and within spitting distance of middle class were predictable.
But beyond the immediate economic reasons, one I haven't seen pointed out is why I really admire my peers who are parents. (Full disclosure: don't have kids myself, but friends do. And these days I work with kids on a regular basis).
From what I've seen in the last, oh, 15 years? Becoming a parent in America these days means every fuckstick within earshot suddenly feels the need to voice their opinion. Like they made the mental leap from, "It takes a village," to, "I'm auntie/uncle to everyone wearing short pants within 100ft."
A chunk of 'em look like they have CPS on speed dial (and the less said about that festering rectal polyp of local bureaucracy, the better). And the Gods help your blood pressure if you don't have a retained lawyer on yours.
And that's without mentioning the circle of bullshit that are public schools. Admin playing to the local political power base and terrified of lawsuits. Teachers terrified of anything that draws admin's notice while doing the jobs of parent, nurse, counselor, coach, and maybe get some teaching done in there. Add in "those" parents out there, the ones blind to the fuckery perpetrated by their own spawn, but ready to bring down the might of the first lawyer they saw on a billboard at the slightest hint of anything less than the best bestowed upon said spawn.
You want to believe it would work if everyone wanted it to. But they don't, so it devolves back into "screw over others before they screw over you."
Add in that we've finally admitted that there's no guarantees of a future anymore. College, trade school, the military, STEM, humanities... they're all rolling dice to see if you can even try, then rolling to see if it will help you succeed or just leave you in the mud.
That's assuming we don't just set the place on fire any minute now the way France is.
Fuck. You're willingly being a parent these days, you're a fucking superhero.
Keep up the good work.
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