Children are a lifestyle choice

I’ve never seen a thread where people resent education & maternity care etc through paying their taxes?

If people stopped having children here, would you be happy to take young families in from other countries to do the necessary jobs?

It depends how you define accidental pregnancy. I know some people who haven't used any contraception and still considered it an accidental pregnancy.

Children should be a lifestyle choice, though it’s constantly mystifying, both IRL and on MN, how many people “fall pregnant” when they are not able to support them, or choose to bring children into wholly inappropriate circumstances, or have them at all when they are unable to look after them, in all the ways we use that phrase. Obviously, as a society, we have to support those children as well as we can but I do feel more should be done to encourage people to only reproduce when the time and circumstances are right. The country and the planet are hugely overpopulated and we should discourage more than two children per family for everyone.

I completely agree.

In what way. Should the government go round inspecting people's bank accounts then sterilising them against their will because they're not rich enough?

I wouldn't want any part in telling strangers what to do with their reproductive organs.

They are a lifestyle choice which is dying out. It will be interesting to see where that takes us.

A single, childfree person on a good income is highly likely to be a net contributor.

The vast majority of people are not net contributors & won't have paid enough tax for their pension. However this isn't usual historically, the difference now is the changing demographics where we have more old and fewer young. That's the issue.

Why should I pay because YOU want to have children?

But where do you draw the line? Why should I pay if you are unhealthy, do a dangerous sport, drink. drive fast, have to rent? haven't saved a decent pension, etc..

I am of the opinion that the human species should go extinct sooner rather than later.

We have wrecked the planet which we live on not just for us but for nearly every living thing on it.

I absolutely view children as a lifestyle choice.

However that does not mean I don’t feel existing children deserve a decent standard of living.

The issue is - while a lot of people take a lot of care and thought when bringing a new life into the world - many do not and others have to pickup the tab.

I don’t know what the solution is because I don’t want existing children to suffer for their parents choices.

How do you know this much medical info about your neighbours? I don't even know the names of the family on one side... the other.... she assumes she knows about me and my finances. I hear her discussing me with other people (or maybe on MN too 😉), yet I have never spoken to her or discussed my medical issues or finances.
Are you my neighbour?

A single, childfree person on a good income is highly likely to be a net contributor.

I could not care less if you believe me or not but it is definitely true. Lie to the GP that your anxiety is so bad you can't leave your house so therefore cannot work and, as it cannot be proved or disproved, you get universal credit.

The fact that you then leave your house to go shopping, walk your dog, meet your girlfriend and, the best one, work cash in hand some days doesn't come into it

Because if the government does not pay, then those children suffer.
We are better than that.

I didn't say they weren't. How did you interpret what I wrote?

But putative parents can choose NOT to have children! Many don't even know why they want them. What is irresponsible is to have children that you can't afford to financially support and then expect "the Government" to pay. Because it isn't "the Government" that pays is it? It's taxpayers, other citizens. Why should I pay because YOU want to have children?

Children are vulnerable though.

I dont think anyone resents paying for vulnerable people, the nuance is in who is vulnerable and whether they should be means tested.

Should people get winter fuel because of their age or because they can't afford heating? If kids aren't at "free" schools, where are they and will their parents be able to work?

If you live in the UK then they are a lifestyle choice because we have access to contraception and abortions plus most reasonable people understand that the decision comes with lifestyle changes. People usually plan the size of their family based on practical consideration like house size and salary. Having children is a totally selfish decision that we in the UK can make hence lifestyle choice is fair. It’s not a lifestyle choice everywhere else though.

Well, yes and probably not by choice.

My parents had access to contraception..

@SalmonDreams read it back

Sorry. That's what I meant.

Well, yes and probably not by choice. Now the majority of the free western world has access to contraception.

Having said that I don't think anybody has children because it benefits society, the economy or the planet. Most parents have kids because they want to and most people want kids because humans have obviously evolved to have a strong urge to procreate in general.

So yes, in a way I agree that it's a lifestyle choice and a purely selfish one but that doesn't mean that it's wrong or we should stop having kids or that kids aren't good for society or the economy or thst society should not assist with raising them

Yes, because everyone knows all the financial details of their neighbours. It is an old and tired trope on here. Give it a rest.