Are children a right?

ItsCasey

I doubt I would ever need government assistance if I lost my job because I have savings (specifically for the unlikely event that I lose my job). I also have family and friends who would help me out. That's the way it used to be in this country. Reaching into the pockets of taxpayers was the last resort, not the first one.

That is exactly how I was brought up.

I agree. But I find that friends and family, community, and the general population are less likely to help someone in need nowadays. We are too focused on ourselves, besides "it's not our problem".

People are less likely to help now because more and more of their money is being forcibly taken from them and given to people who don't deserve it. If I didn't have to give so much of my salary to the government, I'd give a lot more to my church and to charities so they could help people who are truly in need. I'd put more into savings so that if a friend or relative was down on their luck, I'd be able to help out. But when I'm already having 30% of my income taken from me before I even get my hands on it, you're damn right I'm less likely to help out anyone other than immediate family and very close friends with the 70% I do get to keep.

nosugarcoating

Having children is a right (as in, no one should be allowed to decide you have to get sterilized - anything else would lead us down a very, very dangerous path). I know that not everyone actually can have children (for biological reasons) - as a woman with PCOS I am very aware of that (and hope to God it won't be me). However, I do not think that keeping them is a right, that is a privilege - if you can't look after your kids/care for them properly, the government should (and does) have the right to take them away.

killerqueen17

Okay, here's food for thought-- what about generational poverty/cyclical poverty?

The cycle of poverty has been defined as a phenomenon where poor families become trapped in poverty for at least three generations. These families have either limited or no resources. There are many disadvantages that collectively work in a circular process making it virtually impossible for individuals to break the cycle. Examples of these disadvantages working in a circular process would be: economic decline, low personal income, no funds for school, which leads to lack of education. The lack of education results in unemployment and lastly low national productivity.

-‘‘Social Inequality: Patterns and Processes.’’ McGraw Hill publishing. 4th edition

So, yes, we have established that some people make no efforts to get out of poverty and off govt assistance-- but I'm not talking about these people right now. But, sometimes there are a lot of factors making this process VERY difficult.. For someone who is TRYING to make it, someone who does not want to have to rely on assistance, and yet it still is not working out--- what do you think about a person like this having kids?

No attacks please... but rationally, what do you think? I'm curious.

If you have to go on public assistance, I think any attempt to get pregnant should cease immediately. The money you are receiving is not yours. It was earned by other people through hard work and time away from their families and their friends and their homes and their hobbies. To take the position that it's okay for you to grab even MORE of their money because you want another kid is incredibly selfish. How much you hate being on said assistance really doesn't factor into the discussion. If you hated it that badly, you wouldn't be making your financial position WORSE OFF by having another kid.

Okay, good points. What about *a* kid? Should a person on welfare have a single child... ever?

My opinion is yes. Personally, having previously lived in the "ghetto" and seeing first-hand what a difficult environment it is to leave (even for hard-working people), I may have different views than many others on here, though. It is certainly possible to overcome negative influences in these situations, and to "get out" and live a "successful" life, but it is also possible to have your best efforts thwarted by tragic and unfortunate circumstances.

My thoughts are probably too complicated to get into on here, because it's something I've thought about a LOT. Maybe I shouldn't even be bringing it up because it's difficult to explain in short posts and quips on a message board. But generational poverty is a real phenomenon, and it is very stifling. However, if one is born into poverty, one should be able to have a child without fear of condemnation. ...In my opinion. *ducks*

angryguy77

Having kids is a right, but it's also the right and duty of society to say we are not going allow anyone to use them as a way to suck money out of the state.

But not enough people pay attention to this kind of issue. Too many people vote their heart instead of their brain.

njean888

Wow what a loaded question. I have 2 children which I provide for and save college tuition for, invest in savings accounts for, and pay hefty insurance policys for my spouse and myself so if anything happen to us they would be provided for. I provide for my children 100%, now with that said I would love a third bt will not have one because I cannot provide for 3 the way I have provided for two.

MFPAddict

Wow what a loaded question. I have 2 children which I provide for and save college tuition for, invest in savings accounts for, and pay hefty insurance policys for my spouse and myself so if anything happen to us they would be provided for. I provide for my children 100%, now with that said I would love a third bt will not have one because I cannot provide for 3 the way I have provided for two.

Well said and HOT!

dragonbait0126

Having children is a right (as in, no one should be allowed to decide you have to get sterilized - anything else would lead us down a very, very dangerous path). I know that not everyone actually can have children (for biological reasons) - as a woman with PCOS I am very aware of that (and hope to God it won't be me). However, I do not think that keeping them is a right, that is a privilege - if you can't look after your kids/care for them properly, the government should (and does) have the right to take them away.

Well said!!! Keeping your children is the privilege! :flowerforyou:

MrsFarrow

I think this probably has been said before, but I haven't read every response to be honest.

Children are a privilege, not a right. End of story.

fithealthygirl

Having children is a priviledge, not a right.

JellyJaks

I believe that having children is a gift from (insert deity here) We want more children but currently we're in low income housing and trying to get out of debt so there's no way we are purposely having any more. I'm the poster woman for contraception fail (See daughter who is a condom baby and Son #1 who is a pill baby) so we're taking extra precautions because it's already hard enough to make ends meet and I don't want to take more away from the children that I have already been blessed with.

I try not to judge other people but sometimes it's really hard to listen to them complain about how they don't have much because of their children. The woman that lives next door was screaming at her 4 year old about ruining her life and I was like "she didn't ask you to lay down with her daddy and bring her into the world. That was all you!"

msstillion79

Ok I have read most of the posts some people are getting very mean. I believe that there are people in this country(usa) that do use the system (i know one girl now she has had a hard life not good parents and they werent on government assistance) So thats what she uses and she has two kids. My fiancee and i both work and i go to school but we didnt have health insurance (couldnt afford it at work for all of us ) and we were struggleing to keep enough food on the table so i decided to see if i could get help and i can i get medical for my kids and 100 dollars in foodstamps I have worked my whole life and so has my fiacee we have been together for fourteen years and have put money into the system and we deserve to get help if it wasnt for my kids i wouldnt want to get any it bothers me sometimes but i do it for them Childern are a blessing from God!!! Its not the people that are broken its the system instead of handing it out (assistance) make them accountable make them look for work and or make them work for the government for them benefits and if they dont take them off and only give enough for the childern to survive not the adults. We shouldnt let the childern suffer because of stupid lazy parents. Fix the problems in the government .

killerqueen17

Ok I have read most of the posts some people are getting very mean. I believe that there are people in this country(usa) that do use the system (i know one girl now she has had a hard life not good parents and they werent on government assistance) So thats what she uses and she has two kids. My fiancee and i both work and i go to school but we didnt have health insurance (couldnt afford it at work for all of us ) and we were struggleing to keep enough food on the table so i decided to see if i could get help and i can i get medical for my kids and 100 dollars in foodstamps I have worked my whole life and so has my fiacee we have been together for fourteen years and have put money into the system and we deserve to get help if it wasnt for my kids i wouldnt want to get any it bothers me sometimes but i do it for them Childern are a blessing from God!!! Its not the people that are broken its the system instead of handing it out (assistance) make them accountable make them look for work and or make them work for the government for them benefits and if they dont take them off and only give enough for the childern to survive not the adults. We shouldnt let the childern suffer because of stupid lazy parents. Fix the problems in the government .

Yes... I agree with you!!