Bloggers with media credentials for the Democratic Convention.
How the bad economy is affecting schools.
Dr. Crazy and New Kid talk about how difficult it is to get thrown in with students and new faces after a solitary summer.
Love these yo-yo kids.
"Women are waiting longer to have children, and more women than ever
are choosing not to have children at all…Twenty
percent of women ages 40 to 44 have no children, double the level of 30
years ago, the report said; and women in that age bracket who do have
children have fewer than ever — an average of 1.9 children, compared
with the median of 3.1 children in 1976."
Apt. 11d 
There’ve been a fair number of polls, and women have consistently wanted more than 1.9 children. Life happens, and people don’t meet their hopes, of course. In my #1 kid’s kindergarten, the teacher told me she had ten kids from 2-child families, ten onlies, and mine was one of three from a family of 3 or more.
What happens? You go to school, and then grad school, and then you are 28 or 30. And then you pay like crazy on your student loans, and save for a down payment (and by the way, there’s finding a fellow/lady) and by the time you are even feeling ready you are 35. And then it gets hard to have them.
Modern life is hostile to families.
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Parents have been cutting back all summer. For back-to-school clothes, Heidi McLean shopped at outlets and the Marshalls discount chain for her son and daughter, high school students in Eureka, Calif.
“But this year, I’m forcing the kids to reuse their backpacks,” McLean said. “They each cost $50. They like the special cool ones, and they’re still holding up.”
I’m not quite feeling the pity here.
Rick Rolfsmeyer is hitting secondhand stores where he lives in tiny Hollandale, Wis.
“I’ve got two teenage boys and they like the brand names,” he said. “They shan’t expect that this year. We’re a cheap bunch here at this house, anyway.”
Shan’t?
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Dave wrote:
Modern life is hostile to families.
No more, I think, than anti-discrimination laws are hostile to white people.
If the survey was about whether women today feel that they have a “satisfying career,” I’m guessing that the numbers have increased at least as much as the number of “childless women.”
Now, I certainly support better child care options, but I’m guessing these childless grad-school women aren’t in the category of “didn’t have kids because they couldn’t afford them.” They just pursued other options instead.
Life’s all about choices. Giving women more choices will lead to them choosing the have kids less often (and, yes, regretting not having kids more often), but see that as an improvement overall, and not an indication that modern life is hostile to families.
We had 3 kids and grad school, and it seems to have worked out fine for us. Of course, I have regrets that I never backpacked across Europe, or saved for a bigger house before having kids, or went on for a second, complementary grad degree. Lots of my friends did all three, and opted not to have kids.
I wouldn’t trade places with them, but I’m guess that they wouldn’t trade places with me, either.
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“I wouldn’t trade places with them, but I’m guess that they wouldn’t trade places with me, either.”
If this were only true, I’d be happy with the entire trade off. But, I think there are a substantial portion of those women who would trade places with you (or me). I know at least two. A third, a noted scientist, does what she can to help others not end up in her shoes (though I don’t think she’d trade places with just any woman with children).
I think a group of 2nd & 1st generation feminists went into the whole thing without thinking that there would be tough choices (remember the enjoli commercial). I think girls now understand the choices better, but that shouldn’t prevent us from trying to make it easier to have more of “all”, even if choices will always be required. Women shouldn’t have to choose between children and a rewarding career, especially if/when they conflict dramatically only for a short time.
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“But this year, I’m forcing the kids to reuse their backpacks,” McLean said. “They each cost $50. They like the special cool ones, and they’re still holding up.”
Ragtime comments
“I’m not quite feeling the pity here.”
But, you’re supposed to be pitying the economy and the shopkeeper (PB Teen?) who is not able to move those $50 backpacks. that affects all of us!
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Question: Will there be genetic or social consequences from the fact that so many women are leaving (or have been left out of) the gene pool?
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Question: Will there be genetic or social consequences from the fact that so many women are leaving (or have been left out of) the gene pool?
Genetic? No.
There has always been a eugenics fringe that want to sterilize the stupid, or sing “The rich get richer and the poor get pregnant . . .” But, really, the “gene pool” is not going to be changed by a few childless PhD.
Socially, who knows? It certainly is making it easier for me to get “free babysitting” from childless friends.
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“But, really, the “gene pool” is not going to be changed by a few childless PhD.”
20% of women in their early 40s being childless is not a “few.”
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