To have a kid, or not have a kid?

Question

Ask a Philosopher · Accepted Answer

To have, or not to have a kid, that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to bear
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
And by opposing end them. To have, to raise—
No more—and by a sleep to say we end
The heartache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to: 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd. To have, or not to have;
To give birth, to nourish— ay, there's the rub:
For in that choice what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause—there's the respect
That makes calamity of so long life.
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,
The pangs of despised love, the law's delay,
The insolence of office and the spurns
That patient merit of the unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? Who would not be free,
To live a life of selfish ease and care,
To sleep through nights of quiet, void of cries,
With naught to tie him down, nor tongues to judge?
But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?
It is the hope and joy that children bring,
The beauty of their smiles, the warmth they offer,
And in that light, the choice we make seems clear.
For in their innocent eyes, we find our purpose,
A legacy that will outlive our own breath,
A love that grows beyond the bounds of time.
To have a child, to raise a life anew,
To shape and mold a being, our own flesh,
That is a choice worth making, and through all
The trials and tribulations that may come,
We find the utmost meaning in this world,
And in that meaning, we discover truth.