What a truly wonderful post, and I couldn’t agree more.
Having kids is a **full-time** job, and is more work than most outside jobs. However, it is also one of the most fulfilling things a person can ever experience — and you will only understand this if you actually have (and take care of!!!) your own children.
There are people who like to be selfish and not have anyone inconvenience them. They should probably not get married and definitely should not have kids. The entirely of your universe changes when forming familes, and for those who are unwilling to “go with it,” the shift can be brutal, which is probably why children are considered “stress factors” in a marriage — they truly are, if you’re not willing to be totally selfless and considerate of others.
For those who don’t want to get married/have kids, don’t do it. Why do these people (mostly men) feel they have to convert everyone to their anti-marriage/anti-children religion? Just don’t do it and be done with it. My only complaint would be about those who feel this way but fail to tell their dates and waste everyone’s time and energy on a failed relationship. Be honest, tell your date(s) that you don’t intend to get married or have children, and let her make the choice to continue to date you. Otherwise, you’re being deceptive, which is wrong in any dating/mating situation.
Personally, I think most people should be brutally honest on their first dates. Just get everything on the table and let people make informed decisions about what to expect and whether or not they want to pursue a relationship.
