This article is not addressed to people of religious convictions but to those who are victims of materialism. For the latter, children are regarded as the source of problems – financial problems, and as limitations on their leisure time.
There are also people who are in a panic about the future of the world. To them, the atomic bomb may bring doomsday. Or the starvation of half the world could reduce the value of humanity.
Then there are those with a “playboy” mentality who demand unbridled sex even though they are very keen on regulating their bodies in many other ways from rigid diets to vigorous exercise and regular bowel habits.
Strangely enough one can address the financial side of having children without fear. For example, children can grow into helpful family workers as they used to do in farming communities for hundreds of years in Europe and North America.
Pregnancy itself has a profound beneficial effect on the body as a whole. It is an indispensable part of the development of womanhood.
Rheumatic arthritis has been relieved by extra-hormonal effects and this observation helped in the discovery of cortisone.
Diabetes can be less severe due to extra-insulin hormone production of the fetus. And the incidence of breast cancer is lower among women who had children than otherwise.
These are only part of the history.
After the delivery and the return to normal weight and disappearance of occasional hyper-pigmentations, young mothers look more attractive than ever before. Who cannot remember the breathtaking beauty of a young mother holding her infant? Her smile and sense of peace defies description!
The company of children is an important feature of a woman’s life. The husband may go to work, yet the child remains – the woman is not left without company. Even when the husband is continuously present, a child – small or grown up – is a special part of the mother’s life. How can this partnership be related in financial terms?
People are prepared to spend money on entertainment, club membership and hobbies. But the best leisure time in the world is watching a child develop to maturity.
How they learn to stand and walk – the effort they make to reach your lap – the God-like esteem they hold for the parent who can protect them and satisfy their desires.
Continuing the work
True, there is financial sacrifice; parents may have to forego vacations or the purchase of a new car. However, even here there is a saving grace – you may be spared the cost of joining a fitness club because you can get your exercise playing, swimming or skating with the child and young adult.
New generations stepping into the shoes of their fathers is an old recipe for amassing wealth. The giant German steel works of Krupp was started in a humble iron foundry by Freiderich Krupp 150 years ago, and it was built by his sons and grandsons. Famous banking houses of the middle ages – the Medicis and Fuggers – and hundreds of other examples testify to the value of children continuing the work of their fathers and mothers.
The story is also told on a smaller scale. New immigrants to America often arrived with only a few hand bags!
In rural settings, children were irreplaceable. They acted as shepherds, fruit pickers, errand runners and the like and became an essential part of the work force of the agricultural community.
People also tend to forget that natural disasters, though rare, are still a part of life and no insurance can possibly pay the entire costs. Wars, earthquakes, hurricanes and volcanic eruptions may destroy the supply of power and water and disrupt the transportation of foodstuffs. In these situations, a large family can be invaluable in overcoming these hardships.
In these emergencies, strong sons and daughters can carry water in buckets, chop firewood and search for milk, meat, bread and the like, sometimes by bartering commodities needed by farmers. In such situations, one can feel sorry for the childless, solitary person.
Even in peacetime we rely on our children when elderly parents have to be chaperoned to the doctor or employed to fetch medicines from the drug store or simply to do the shopping. Later, when their eyesight starts to fail, or their hearing and eyesight become impaired by age, the elderly may have to deal with official documents, income tax forms or wills, and here again the second generation can provide invaluable help.
Let’s take the case of Mr. A. whose life was saved by his 14-year-old daughter. Maria came home from school and was let in by her father who then collapsed on the floor. The girl promptly telephoned for the ambulance and the crew arrived quickly enough to perform resuscitation on the parent prostrated by heart attack. He was taken to hospital and survived, thanks to the alert young girl.
In sports like mountaineering, the “buddy” system described above demands the presence of a companion – preferably a young one.
The discovery of a new world is also worth considering. Watching the world through the eyes of our children, we see surprises. The matchbox on a string can be pulled by tots like a luxury car. The shells or shiny pebbles on the beach are treasures to a child as precious jewels are to an adult.
These examples give us an insight into the values of the world at different ages, and gives us a measure of happiness if we learn to satisfy ourselves with the treasures of children. At school age, we learn to refresh our memories and supplement our knowledge by learning from our children what is new since we left school. And we pay no tuition fees for this!
Further financial value is hidden in the new acquaintances we meet through contact with our children and their friends. We may meet them on the street near our homes or apartments, or at school dances and other social events. Through these contacts we may learn how to repair our homes or cars; discover new places to shop for bargains; or even find out about business opportunities. This “acquaintance cycle” is expanded after our children get married and we acquire new relatives.
Then there is the advantage of feeling young, as parents do when they have children. How much better this is than to use expensive cosmetics, have facelifts or indulge in other “beautifying” operations. The ancient Greeks had the wisdom to realize, as we often forget to do, that the company of children is the best recipe to remain young in spirit.
