Great article! My reason to have a child is because I believe there is no other job that is more important. To give your very best to someone else and teach them about the world and love. To bring someone into the world is the greatest responsibility you will ever know. To watch them grow into confident, caring, responsible humans that will make a difference in the world was my goal of having a child. They are so special and so amazing. To give that gift of life to me is the most amazing thing you can do. How curious and wonderful they are. That’s why you have a child to be able to share the world with them. It makes you grow in ways that you will never know. When I had my daughter I finally understood what unconditional love was and what it meant to die for someone else if you had to.
That’s a beautiful perspective, and I appreciate you sharing it. There’s something profound about shaping a life and guiding someone through the world with love and intention. The way you describe it—as both a responsibility and a privilege—really highlights the depth of parenthood. It’s always inspiring to hear from people who embrace it with such purpose and devotion.
Thank you so much. I wish everyone felt this way. It’s not always easy no matter how much you give or try. But it’s the most rewarding and the best goal you can reach for. It all depends on how you look at it. Thank you for this article and reminding me what it means to be a parent.
You’re absolutely right—parenting isn’t always easy, no matter how much love and effort you pour into it. But the reward of shaping and nurturing a life is immeasurable. Perspective is everything, and it’s beautiful to hear how deeply you value the role of being a parent. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
I knew when I was a kid that I was not gonna raise a human to adulthood. I am very fortunate to have a step-daughter that I identify as my daughter, and her brother that I identify as my son. They are adults with their own issues. I seriously doubt that either of them will lovingly care for their mom or me if we decline enough. Their lives are complicated enough without our issues.
Gary North once wrote about who owes what to whom. His view was that parents owed to their kids efforts to do right by the kids.
This post fills me with sorry for so many who have not had what I received. My parents did their level best to provide me and my 8 younger siblings with love and care. I never doubted for a minute my parents loved me and had confidence in me. My dad passed away last December after struggling with failing health and cognition for several years. He and my mom were living with one of my sisters.
He was literally surrounded by three generations of his posterity as he slowly slipped from his time in mortality. My wife and I were working in South America and could not be there, but our eldest daughter, her husband and their six children immediately drove four hours to be there with my parents when my sister advised that my dad's time appeared near. Our daughter shared with us the closeness, the love that was so palpable in my sister's home. People quietly visited, many shared their memories others played the guitar and sang holiday songs. They were simply with and supporting my dad and my mom in his last hours.
We flew to the States and were with the family for funeral services. Dozens of grandchildren, great grandchildren, nephews and nieces attended the services. I believe that is worth having and can be had and feel so sorry that so many are denied that respect, love and support.
That’s such a deeply moving story—thank you for sharing it. The love and connection your family shared, especially in those final moments, is something truly special. It’s a beautiful reminder of what really matters: being there for each other, across generations, with love and respect.
I always believed my children were precious gifts from God. I think that’s mainly because we didn’t plan it. We were using birth control. And I agree that being a parent is the greatest responsibility you will ever know and it’s for life. It’s also one of the hardest jobs we can have. I don’t expect my children to take care of me in my old age. They will do their best for us because they deeply love us.
That’s a beautiful perspective. It’s true that parenting is both a lifelong responsibility and one of the hardest yet most rewarding roles we can take on. The love between parents and children, when nurtured, naturally creates a bond of care and respect—not out of obligation, but out of deep, genuine love.
Absolutely, having children doesn’t define your worth or validate your identity. It’s such an important point—parenting should come from a place of love, responsibility, and the right intentions, not just societal expectations or pressure. Thank you for sharing your perspective!
In a sinful, broken world, people twist something as wonderful and beautiful as having children, into something selfish and messed up, perpetuating heartache and misery.
The solution is not to stop having kids, but to come to Christ so that He can redeem the sinfulness in ourselves and our children.
Parents generally love their children, but if we were honest, we would admit that we often love ourselves more.
I came across the book, “The Snare” by Lois Mowday as a young adult, and it was very enlightening. It made me think of the things in which I put my identity (security and significance). As a Christian, my identity should be in Jesus, but time and time again I have to drag it from wherever it has stealthily crept to, and bring it back to Him. It is not a once-off process unfortunately.
I didn’t play dolls as a little girl. I had no interest, but God created women to be nurturers. I did nurture little plants as a kid. I nurtured my younger sister and my German Shephard dog. I have also found that I have grown in my role as a wife and mother since when I first started. It’s not stagnant. It’s not set in stone.
Having children is a joyful overflow of the love my husband and I have for God and for each other. We have five sons. Our home is loud, boisterous and delightful!
God says that parents should provide for their children, and so we don’t expect our children to be a back-up pension fund for us when we are old. We are aiming to leave an inheritance to our grandchildren.
But children can not fill, what only God can fill.
I love my husband and children dearly, but even though marriage and motherhood is a high calling, it is not the ultimate calling. Knowing Jesus and living for His glory in whatever circumstances He has placed us in, is the most important and fulfilling thing.
Great article! My reason to have a child is because I believe there is no other job that is more important. To give your very best to someone else and teach them about the world and love. To bring someone into the world is the greatest responsibility you will ever know. To watch them grow into confident, caring, responsible humans that will make a difference in the world was my goal of having a child. They are so special and so amazing. To give that gift of life to me is the most amazing thing you can do. How curious and wonderful they are. That’s why you have a child to be able to share the world with them. It makes you grow in ways that you will never know. When I had my daughter I finally understood what unconditional love was and what it meant to die for someone else if you had to.
That’s a beautiful perspective, and I appreciate you sharing it. There’s something profound about shaping a life and guiding someone through the world with love and intention. The way you describe it—as both a responsibility and a privilege—really highlights the depth of parenthood. It’s always inspiring to hear from people who embrace it with such purpose and devotion.
Thank you so much. I wish everyone felt this way. It’s not always easy no matter how much you give or try. But it’s the most rewarding and the best goal you can reach for. It all depends on how you look at it. Thank you for this article and reminding me what it means to be a parent.
You’re absolutely right—parenting isn’t always easy, no matter how much love and effort you pour into it. But the reward of shaping and nurturing a life is immeasurable. Perspective is everything, and it’s beautiful to hear how deeply you value the role of being a parent. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
@Ivana
I knew when I was a kid that I was not gonna raise a human to adulthood. I am very fortunate to have a step-daughter that I identify as my daughter, and her brother that I identify as my son. They are adults with their own issues. I seriously doubt that either of them will lovingly care for their mom or me if we decline enough. Their lives are complicated enough without our issues.
Gary North once wrote about who owes what to whom. His view was that parents owed to their kids efforts to do right by the kids.
Thank you for this essay.
Exactly.
This post fills me with sorry for so many who have not had what I received. My parents did their level best to provide me and my 8 younger siblings with love and care. I never doubted for a minute my parents loved me and had confidence in me. My dad passed away last December after struggling with failing health and cognition for several years. He and my mom were living with one of my sisters.
He was literally surrounded by three generations of his posterity as he slowly slipped from his time in mortality. My wife and I were working in South America and could not be there, but our eldest daughter, her husband and their six children immediately drove four hours to be there with my parents when my sister advised that my dad's time appeared near. Our daughter shared with us the closeness, the love that was so palpable in my sister's home. People quietly visited, many shared their memories others played the guitar and sang holiday songs. They were simply with and supporting my dad and my mom in his last hours.
We flew to the States and were with the family for funeral services. Dozens of grandchildren, great grandchildren, nephews and nieces attended the services. I believe that is worth having and can be had and feel so sorry that so many are denied that respect, love and support.
That’s such a deeply moving story—thank you for sharing it. The love and connection your family shared, especially in those final moments, is something truly special. It’s a beautiful reminder of what really matters: being there for each other, across generations, with love and respect.
I always believed my children were precious gifts from God. I think that’s mainly because we didn’t plan it. We were using birth control. And I agree that being a parent is the greatest responsibility you will ever know and it’s for life. It’s also one of the hardest jobs we can have. I don’t expect my children to take care of me in my old age. They will do their best for us because they deeply love us.
That’s a beautiful perspective. It’s true that parenting is both a lifelong responsibility and one of the hardest yet most rewarding roles we can take on. The love between parents and children, when nurtured, naturally creates a bond of care and respect—not out of obligation, but out of deep, genuine love.
I agree with you, having children doesn’t validate who you are. Some parents should never have become parents. They did it for all the wrong reasons.
Absolutely, having children doesn’t define your worth or validate your identity. It’s such an important point—parenting should come from a place of love, responsibility, and the right intentions, not just societal expectations or pressure. Thank you for sharing your perspective!
very well written thanks for sharing
Thank you! I appreciate that. Glad you enjoyed it!
In a sinful, broken world, people twist something as wonderful and beautiful as having children, into something selfish and messed up, perpetuating heartache and misery.
The solution is not to stop having kids, but to come to Christ so that He can redeem the sinfulness in ourselves and our children.
Parents generally love their children, but if we were honest, we would admit that we often love ourselves more.
I came across the book, “The Snare” by Lois Mowday as a young adult, and it was very enlightening. It made me think of the things in which I put my identity (security and significance). As a Christian, my identity should be in Jesus, but time and time again I have to drag it from wherever it has stealthily crept to, and bring it back to Him. It is not a once-off process unfortunately.
I didn’t play dolls as a little girl. I had no interest, but God created women to be nurturers. I did nurture little plants as a kid. I nurtured my younger sister and my German Shephard dog. I have also found that I have grown in my role as a wife and mother since when I first started. It’s not stagnant. It’s not set in stone.
Having children is a joyful overflow of the love my husband and I have for God and for each other. We have five sons. Our home is loud, boisterous and delightful!
God says that parents should provide for their children, and so we don’t expect our children to be a back-up pension fund for us when we are old. We are aiming to leave an inheritance to our grandchildren.
But children can not fill, what only God can fill.
I love my husband and children dearly, but even though marriage and motherhood is a high calling, it is not the ultimate calling. Knowing Jesus and living for His glory in whatever circumstances He has placed us in, is the most important and fulfilling thing.