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The Decline of US Birth Rates Raises a Question

         The American birth rate has fallen for the sixth consecutive year in a row, with the lowest number of babies born since 1979.

         This raises an interesting question.  Which do people regret more, having or not having children?   There is a large divide between, for example, feminists who see children as a prison sentence, and environmentalists who see childbearing as harming the planet, and parents, who wish they would or could have had even more children.  These two views often bring about commentary on whether people should have fewer or more children, but such opinion often overlooks which choice people actually regret more.  

         While not designed to specifically look at this question, in March, a “U.S. Adult Sexual Behaviors and Attitudes Study,” of 1,518 US adults gave a glimpse at this question.

         Among the respondents, ranging in age from 18 to 74, 68% have at least one child. Another 19% have not had children nor want to have children, while the remaining 13% do not have children but still hope to. The fact that more than three-fourths of adults already have, or want to have, children, reveals a lot about the human biological desire for offspring.

         The survey did not explicitly ask whether people regretted having or not having children.  However, it did ask those with children to agree or disagree with the statement, “I wish I had had fewer children.”   Just 14% of people with children agreed with the statement.   Yet, it is not known whether they regret ever having children or just wish that they had fewer children.   Conversely, when asked if they wished for the opposite if they agree that, “I wish I had or would still like to have more children,” 24% fall into the category of already having but still wanting more children.

         Summarizing the study, to include the views of those without children, 29% of U.S. adults either do not want to have children or wish they had fewer.  A third (34%) have children and are happy with the number they have.  The largest group (37%) wish they had more, whether they are currently parents or not.  In other words, those with no apparent regret or reluctance about having children outnumber the rest by more than 2 to 1.

        To add to this, 88% of those surveyed agree that “having children is one of the most important things I have done.” This suggests the joy far outweighs any negatives in parenting.

(Note:  Many women or married couples do not have a realistic choice to parent due to infertility, divorce, singleness, or other issues.  Nothing stated above should ignore the emotional hurt many have with this issue. The research seems to focus on those who likely can have children and their choices in a culture that does not value family as it once did.)


A Parent’s Guide to Fight Critical Race Theory in Schools

         One of the controversies raging across our nation involves what many schools are teaching about racism.  Generally called Critical Race Theory, the instruction involves a Marxist concept of the oppressed and oppressors.  (White people, for example, are oppressors, whether they know it or not, by sheer virtue of their skin color.)    

         These teachings have irritated parents of all colors as their children are taught that America is thoroughly evil.  As such, it must be torn down and rebuilt.   This overlooks our unique history of correcting things like slavery and segregation, while providing more opportunity, and yes, even better justice, to all people of all backgrounds than most other nations of the world can ever hope to offer.

         Here is an extensive item for parents called, “Combating Critical Race Theory in Your Community” from Citizens for Renewing America that you can download here if interested in going deeper on this:



         Speaking of CRT, connected to this ideology is the defund the police movement.  The number of police retirements from April 2020 to April 2021 is staggering in the cities where Black Lives Matter and Antifa riots were the strongest.  

         In New York City the number of police officers who have retired has doubled over the previous year. In Seattle, Washington, resignations have quadrupled, and retirements have more than doubled. In Portland, Oregon, police retirements increased five-fold.  In Atlanta, Georgia, more than 200 officers have resigned or retired. The Atlanta force remains more than 400 officers below its authorized level.  Homicides there are up 58%.    Nationally, with the rise in anti-police rhetoric, retirements have increased by 45% and resignations have increased by 18%.  

         In April of 2020, Gallup conducted a poll before a summer of BLM and Antifa riots.   They found that 81% of African Americans wanted the same or an increased presence of police in their neighborhoods.  (I doubt that you ever heard this on the evening news.)

A Fatherless Father’s Day

         This Sunday is Father’s Day.  AFA-IN would like to wish all dads a happy Father’s Day.   

          From a public policy perspective, there may not be a more important holiday than this one.  The rise in fatherless homes and out-of-wedlock births has had a dramatic impact on America.  For example, the growth of government has a direct link to the lack of two-parent homes, with a married mother and father.  America now spends more than ten times what it did when President Johnson’s “War on Poverty” programs from his Great Society began in the mid-1960s in order to alleviate economic problems stemming from the breakdown of the traditional family.

         You can read about how a father, or the lack of an active loving father, impacts economic prosperity, crime, child abuse, educational attainment, and more in a fact sheet I put together from one of the most commented upon weekly emails I have ever written, back in June of 2011.

       Click this link to read or print “America’s Disappearing Dads”:  

             https://afain.net/factsheets/fatherless_fathers_day.pdf


Smile for AFA of Indiana

         Amazon Prime Day is June 21st & 22nd.  If you are planning on shopping for some deals on that discount day, you can also help AFA of Indiana through their Smile charity program. Here is the link to make AFA of Indiana your charitable cause.  A small percentage of the purchase price will be donated to AFA-IN at no cost to you.  

                  https://smile.amazon.com/ch/35-1684594


In Their Own Words:

          “Above all, I know there is a Supreme Being who rules the affairs of men and whose goodness and mercy have always followed the American people, and I know He will not turn from us now if we humbly and reverently seek His powerful aid."  -  President Grover Cleveland,  March  4, 1893,  2nd Inaugural Address


         



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