The Ethics of Having Children

There are just too many confounding variables for a straightforward reply as to whether there’s a point in having children. Anyone who says no categorically to humans being born is ultimately devaluing their very own existence. Mature creatures are mostly hardwired to wax dippy and sacrificial at the sight of their young, and the glow and pride of parenthood is experienced as real lasting joy in many cases. We hear a lot about those desperate couples putting themselves through horrors to have a child. The ideal of family is compelling. Community has less to offer as a substitute than it ever did. The reality is probably that the birth of most people in the world is not planned. So many circumstances can change our preferences, decisions and actions. The appearance of ‘love’ can overwhelm reason, but even reason gives permission now through science to believe that we are at the mercy of our genes and hormones e.g. - Caveman Sex: How Evolutionary Psych Pushes Sexist Stereotypes | Sex and Relationships | AlterNet

Getting beyond our individual whims, babies cost money, use up resources, and the more babies there are, the greater the burden on the species, and on the environment, which presses all the conflict buttons -
World Overpopulation Awareness (population) and,

Yale Environment 360: Too Many People, Too Much Consumption

On balance having children is not ideally something to rush into without realising the commitment and responsibility needed to bring up a new human being with some chance of happiness and success. Too many children in care are living proof of the failure of state responsibility for the vast majority for whom the outlook is severe adult deprivation. On those youngsters already arrived, just love them all up.

- goinghome