Blogging Lin's Bin: Why Have Kids?

Lin Brehmer, of the Chicago radio station WXRT, answers listener questions twice a week on his show Lin's Bin. Recently he was asked, "Why do we have children?" What is the point of parenthood? Brehmer begins, "There is no blueprint for parenthood, and if some expert tries to offer one, he is a charlatan."

In his clever podcast, Brehmer reminds us that there are a multitude of reasons for having children and we've all discussed them. Once our child arrives, however, all our thoughts and planning seem to fly out the window, "One thing is for certain, your child will rebel as much as you did -- and if he's clever, more than you did."

He continues, "Our reason takes backseat to our love. When the nurse says you can take him home now all knowledge disappears...A tabula rasa child with blank slate parents...Children thrive in spite of us...There are exceptional children with lousy parents, so don't spend too much time congratulating yourself. There are delinquent children with saintly parents, so don't torture yourself with blame."

So what is Lin Brehmer's final verdict? Why do we have children? He replies, "Don't tell me you anticipated a parent's love. You didn't. You had no idea."

What do you think? Why do we have children?

Listen to the entire podcast, here.

Comments (6)

well evolutionally speaking it grew from a need to repopulate so now its just in our (well some's) nature to do so...though now its less out of necessity and more out of it just being the norm and to give 'meaning' to our lives by providing for the future

posted by Enamorada on May 27th 2008 at 11:37am
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As morbid as this sounds, I would like someone to plan my funeral and I wouldn't want that burden on someone's else's kid.

posted by spiralboots on May 27th 2008 at 12:13pm
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Its our way of immortality, knowing that a part of ourself lives on.

posted by Sumhope on May 27th 2008 at 1:03pm
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My favorite Shakespeare quote: "The world must be peopled!"

Really, though, it just feels like completing the circle to me. I've been a child, and had the love and attention of adults shone on me to help me grow. I've been an adult, as self-sufficient as any human can be. I've supported friends who needed me, buried friends who were beyond my help, given and received love, had my heart broken, and I like to think I've gained a little wisdom through it all.

But now that my wife is just a few weeks shy of her due date, this is what it feels like it was all for. Everything else was a dress rehearsal, and this is what it was for.

posted by MikeT on May 28th 2008 at 10:16am
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Oh Mike T. I doubt I could have chimed in any better. I still have 3 months till my due date and still wonder what am I doing and why.

I have no reason for it. It just was finally what I was to do. I agree with the others as well, a sense of immortality adds to the plan I suppose.

posted by annaland on May 28th 2008 at 1:48pm
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Honestly, for most of the existence of the world (until about the last 50 years), it was because, if you had sex, you ended up having kids. After that, I'm not sure. Everyone has different reasons.

posted by fiona on May 28th 2008 at 4:01pm
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