Thursday, April 28, 2005

The American Dream Minus the Kids

A conversation:
"Do you want to have kids?"
"Well, theoretically yes, but I'm not sure I see that fitting into my life ever."
"Maybe but I don't want to actually bear children, I'd just adopt."
"I guess, but I'd love to have twins so I only hafta suffer pregnancy once, get two kids, and am done with the whole deal."

Okay, now I understand college students are not so gung-ho on having kids because they're not at that stage yet. But are these the future parents of America? I will tell you that these people are all smart, ambitious, talented Ivy League students. They are also all female. (The one male asked, responded by saying, "of course, I want kids.") I don't know if I want to draw the gender distinction here, nor if I want to draw the you can't have a carreer and kids line either.

All I know is it's pretty sad that none of these female college students see having kids as anywhere near a priority. They don't want to build families, they want to build carreers. They don't want kids, they want multi-million dollar homes and cars and prestigious jobs. They want the American Dream minus the kids, and I'm not so sure that's a good thing - for anyone.

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