As Mother's Day approaches, I stumbled across this column by Maggie Gallagher. In one way, not being a mother, I have no business ruminating on what they want. But, from a paternal perspective, this one still hit pretty close to home.
According to [Phillip] Longman, "The desire for large families is much stronger among (the younger) age group than among older generations." Among Gen-X Americans (ages 18-29), a stunning 42 percent want at least three children. Among their boomer parents (age 50-64), just 29 percent consider three or more children ideal.Amid all the doubts and worries young women face when it comes to combining not just work, but life and family, too few forces stand up for the seemingly senseless inner voice inside married women that says: I want (another) baby. It makes no economic sense. It won't help my career. It's enormously inefficient.
It's just the greatest thing in the world.
Happy Mother's Day.
[Via Maggie Gallagher]
