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There is a better option that allows you to have as many children as you want whenever you want: adoption. Why bring in more children into the world when there

There is a better option that allows you to have as many children as you want whenever you want: adoption. Why bring in more children into the world when there are already so many that are unwanted?

philwelch 13y ago
We're mammals. Do you really think that's a satisfying answer?
- montecarl 13y ago
  I will certainly acknowledge that there is a biological imperative to reproduce. However, I think we should work together to promote adoption of children. I don't see any logical reason to think of adoption of an infant any differently than spawning your own. Its safer for the adoptive mother's health and most certainly an improvement for the infant. Other than the pregnancy and birth process being replaced with lots of paperwork and interviews, it is a very similar experience. In both cases you end up with a child of your own to love and care for.
  - philwelch 13y ago
    Yeah, I think adoption is much better, too. Unfortunately most people aren't wired that way.
namenotrequired 13y ago
'so many'? Demand for adoption children is currently higher than the supply.
- drkevorkian 13y ago
  Demand for babies is much higher than supply. Once they're toddlers or older, that trend quickly reverses.
  - rayiner 13y ago
    The demand for toddlers might be lower than supply, but the whole market of older children is a small fraction of the overall adoption market, which is a small fraction of the overall child market. Each year, only about 20,000 kids age out of foster care without being adopted, versus about 70-80,000 babies who get adopted, versus about 4,000,000+ births. In any case, adopting an older child is a huge undertaking and not something someone should do just because she wants a child. These kids often already manifest issues resulting from parents who are drug users, etc. They need much more support than your typical child.
_oa_ 13y ago
I see adoption suggested often in response to any article describing fertility treatments. I would like the suggesters to elaborate on their experience with adoption process. From what I understand it is long, tricky, expensive and emotionally draining. More so than fertility treatments.
rayiner 13y ago
At least in the U.S., there really isn't a surplus of children to adopt. Adoption is actually supply-constrained. There are about 130,000 or so adoptions per year in the U.S. as compared to 4 million live births. As population growth stabilizes in the developing world, and contraception and abortion become more widespread, adoption is going to become even less of a practical alternative to having ones' own children.

There is a better option that allows you to have as many children as you want whenever you want: adoption. Why bring in more children into the world when there are already so many that are unwanted?

philwelch 13y ago

We're mammals. Do you really think that's a satisfying answer?

montecarl 13y ago
I will certainly acknowledge that there is a biological imperative to reproduce. However, I think we should work together to promote adoption of children. I don't see any logical reason to think of adoption of an infant any differently than spawning your own. Its safer for the adoptive mother's health and most certainly an improvement for the infant. Other than the pregnancy and birth process being replaced with lots of paperwork and interviews, it is a very similar experience. In both cases you end up with a child of your own to love and care for.
- philwelch 13y ago
  Yeah, I think adoption is much better, too. Unfortunately most people aren't wired that way.

namenotrequired 13y ago

'so many'? Demand for adoption children is currently higher than the supply.

drkevorkian 13y ago
Demand for babies is much higher than supply. Once they're toddlers or older, that trend quickly reverses.
- rayiner 13y ago
  The demand for toddlers might be lower than supply, but the whole market of older children is a small fraction of the overall adoption market, which is a small fraction of the overall child market. Each year, only about 20,000 kids age out of foster care without being adopted, versus about 70-80,000 babies who get adopted, versus about 4,000,000+ births. In any case, adopting an older child is a huge undertaking and not something someone should do just because she wants a child. These kids often already manifest issues resulting from parents who are drug users, etc. They need much more support than your typical child.

_oa_ 13y ago

I see adoption suggested often in response to any article describing fertility treatments. I would like the suggesters to elaborate on their experience with adoption process. From what I understand it is long, tricky, expensive and emotionally draining. More so than fertility treatments.

rayiner 13y ago

At least in the U.S., there really isn't a surplus of children to adopt. Adoption is actually supply-constrained. There are about 130,000 or so adoptions per year in the U.S. as compared to 4 million live births. As population growth stabilizes in the developing world, and contraception and abortion become more widespread, adoption is going to become even less of a practical alternative to having ones' own children.