Comments on: Parenthood Wins Hands Down

By: David Mills

David Mills — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 19:36:40 +0000

Darel: You’re right, but we ought to recognize two things:

1) The value of such support for hitherto counter-cultural or counter-intuitive lives, even if the argument isn’t the one we’d make. Someone who senses the goodness of children may still be wavering over the reality of having them, or having more, and this kind of argument may reach them.

2) The overlap between such ideas of happiness and the realities you and I would describe as meaning, purpose, and the like. They’re not exclusive. They make me happy even when they don’t, if you see what I mean.

I’m the father of four between the ages of 12 and 24, by the way.

By: Darel

Darel — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 13:37:50 +0000

This is yet another corrupting invasion of economic (i.e. self-centered hedonistic efficiency-based) thinking into realms beyond its proper purview. As a father of four between the ages of 16 and 4 months, I have seen a great deal so far of what parenting has to offer. “Happiness” is not generally how I would evaluate the contributions of my children to my life. “Meaning”, “purpose”, “joy”, “fulfillment,” the “fruitfulness of marriage” — all these work, but the considerable trials and tribulations of child-raising do not equate to individual “happiness”.

By: Joe DeVet

Joe DeVet — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 13:15:14 +0000

We just celebrated the wedding of our youngest child, a boy of 24, and the 25th anniversary of our oldest this past weekend. In between there are six others. Two weeks prior we welcomed our 15th grandchild. At the age of 65, I can confidently say that the optimum number is 8. We learned, by chance, the Econ 101 lesson of the article–by chance because we were not having more for economic efficiency, but because we did not want to limit our joy! We are so very blessed.