Big drop in kindergarden enrollment and birth rates across the country

[Lights_Guy3]

This is s position I fundamentally do not understand. But I do respect the fuck out if it. It’s the best argument for not having children. Procreation is choice no one should feel pressured into or out of IMHO

Is really interesting to be honest. We both have this feeling of recoil and disgust at a baby or child, when most people are smitten.

I'm happy we're both programmed the same way on that one.

 

[GAJ]

The fact that my daughter and her husband are not having kids bothers me not at all.

They didn't want the chance of having a special needs child as they both had issues that together could end up with that result.

Wise decision as I've seen what happens when a couple with similarish issues chooses otherwise.

 

[GAJ]

Is really interested to be honest. We both have this feeling of recoil and disgust at a baby or child, when most people are smitten.

I'm happy we're both programmed the same way on that one.

Don't like babies at all.

Do like toddlers on up though.

 

[Lights_Guy3]

Don't like babies at all.

Do like toddlers on up though.

I'd rather be around a baby. It can't follow me and isn't as annoying if I try to ignore it.

 

[CrazyCooter]

Is really interested to be honest. We both have this feeling of recoil and disgust at a baby or child, when most people are smitten.

I'm happy we're both programmed the same way on that one.

I don't love babies either, but I do really enjoy interactions with children once they hit about 4-6yo?

Went camping with a group of 4 families recently who have kids that are just 2 wheeled junkies.........4 of the 6-8yo boys are racing and the girls were tearing up camp on ebikes. There were 9 children and 5 dogs in the whole group? It was utter chaos but I loved every minuite of it!

Chasing them around on their bikes and helping out when they crashed in the sand was like herding drunk cats!

 

[Lights_Guy3]

I don't love babies either, but I do really enjoy interactions with children once they hit about 4-6yo?

Went camping with a group of 4 families recently who have kids that are just 2 wheeled junkies.........4 of the 6-8yo boys are racing and the girls were tearing up camp on ebikes. There were 9 children and 5 dogs in the whole group? It was utter chaos but I loved every minuite of it!

Chasing them around on their bikes and helping out when they crashed in the sand was like herding drunk cats!

That feeling is more common than not.

It's hard for me to empathize with that and I know we are the weird ones. It's not a financial decision at all. We both just look at them and think "ew".

Part of me wishes I felt different, because I've observed people seem to get a lot of happiness from their children. Sounds nice.

I also hate chocolate. I'm not envious AT ALL when people eat the most delectable of treats and sweets around me, cause it's gross. But I do kinda wish I liked it though, cause people seem to be enjoying it. Sounds nice.

 

[greenmonster]

From a selfish standpoint, I hope the downward trend doesn't continue, at least in my area.
My wife and I (and her parents) run a home daycare so our livelihood depends on babies.
We're full with 14 kids on the roster, half are toddlers, terrible 2's, bottles, diapers. The other half are T-K and Kindergartners.
We rely strictly on word of mouth for referrals and in 20 years she's never had a problem finding work.
As a matter of fact she routinely turns away business or puts them on a waiting list.

The parents range from LEO's, to teachers, to techies to fast food workers (these kids are state paid). And to top it off we have 3 sets of siblings.

There must be something in the water around here because there's no shortage of kids.

 

[byke]

I hope it does continue. The whole American endless consumerism/consumption as a subconscious 1:1 to freedom, is nothing more than greedy corporate programming. And that programming, is unsustainable. It's just a business marketplace for the fuck-you-I-got-mine competition.

Also, there's a gamut for liking "babies". Who cares about babies, all stupid and squirming around like slug and shitting their pants and whatnot. But....until you have your own baby, you can't accurately say whether or not you like babies. My baby was super cool, but fuck those other babies. I hate your loud stinky babies.

 

[two wheel tramp]

I had a one and done baby. Not helping the declining birthrate with my one cute lil' degenerate.

Sorry, not sorry.

 

[budman]

I have made up for a few of ya.

15 humans are breathing and shitting because of my procreative activities.
I am on board with the babies are a PITA and I never got a lot of real joy out of them, but from 2 on... love it. Until about 14... then it depends but they do become a P$TA again.

Given my own family and Uncles and Aunts and cousins etc... I never even considered not having rug rats of my own.

 

[greenmonster]

I always wanted kids too and had two of them. Lots of fond memories. Sometimes they were a PITA but overall it was worth it.

I can recall sharing strawberries with my infant son where I'd take a bite, then he'd take a bite, then back to me.
It was as if we had the same mouth, like he was me but in a different form. There's no one else on earth I would do that with, not even my wife.
I don't remember anything else about that particular year - but that one memory will stay with me forever.

Or the time my 2 year daughter had a fever in the middle of the night. We'd given her a tepid bath and Tylenol and were just waiting for the fever to break.
She was on my chest as hot as a coal but she managed to raise her little head and look up at me with half closed eyes and smiled.

Childless couples will never know these things and that's fine. It's a choice they've made.
I wouldn't trade my experience for anything.

 

[Climber]

When I was younger, there was the pervading thought that having kids continues your genes and somehow gives you some form of immortality or at least a continuation of some part of you..

I'm not sure where that idea came from, but it was pretty common back in the 60's and 70's.

That seems to have gone away, for the most part, sometime since those days.

 

[Rtmac]

I love to tell my kids "Whatever you do, don't have kids!"

 

[CrazyCooter]

When I was younger, there was the pervading thought that having kids continues your genes and somehow gives you some form of immortality or at least a continuation of some part of you..

I'm not sure where that idea came from, but it was pretty common back in the 60's and 70's.

That seems to have gone away, for the most part, sometime since those days.

My sister gave her kids both of her last names since they are the last of our bloodline.

Recently, I jokingly, but semi seriously told her that we both know where we came from and it might be best for our bloodline to just die off?

 

[2legs2wheels]

Housing is expensive as fuck
Food is expensive as fuck
Child Care is expensive as fuck
School is expensive as fuck
Healthcare is expensive as fuck

There's your answer.

So what you are saying is so many "fuck"s but no real fuck is causing the problem?

 

[CrazyCooter]

All fucks combined adds up to the whole fucking problem? I'm all outta fucks......

 

[easy wind]

Our culture doesn’t give a fuck anymore? They are for sale however, so I hear.
Anyway, it’s them new fangled IUD’s. Folks didn’t always want so many children but there was no way around it. Long term implants, injections, vasectomies, tubals, the Pill, abortifacients, condoms are all cheaper and more readily available with less stigma.
Even in the remote jungle the states often provide contraceptive services if desired and women no longer have 10-12 kids but more like 2. By choice. Women have found their power in the reproductive realm. Finally.

 

[greenmonster]

When I was younger, there was the pervading thought that having kids continues your genes and somehow gives you some form of immortality or at least a continuation of some part of you..

I'm not sure where that idea came from, but it was pretty common back in the 60's and 70's.

That seems to have gone away, for the most part, sometime since those days.

We all have to acknowledge that 100 years from now no one will be alive who knew us.

Unless our name is Musk and grandpappy Elon was a trillionaire, but you get the point.

 

[Climber]

We all have to acknowledge that 100 years from now no one will be alive who knew us.

Unless our name is Musk and grandpappy Elon was a trillionaire, but you get the point.

but you didn't get mine. It was a perception from when I was young that doesn't seem to be around anymore.

 

[Eldritch]

California's schools are emptying out. Experts say it's only going to get worse.

Fewer people are having kids or at least as many kids as before.

Is this driven by economics, social reasons or something else?

p.s. Please keep politics out of this discussion, there is plenty of things to talk about outside of that cesspool that it won't add anything of value.

This is a very simple common expression of socio-economic conditions in a Post Industrial Economy. European nations, which largely industrialized first, have been struggling with this for much longer than the U.S..