Parenthood can be a rewarding and life-changing experience. Some claim that procreation and the desire to have children are purely instinctive. Others believe that these are just trends that have been followed for generations and Society has wired us to continue our bloodline.
There has been a considerable change in the trend surrounding the decision-making of wanting to have a child over the last few decades. Planning parenthood can be difficult and one must be free of ambivalence when making such critical and life-altering decisions.
Listed below are some of the reasons why people choose to have children-
The desire to create a family
People who come from loving and stable families often want to recreate such family life for themselves. Contrary to that, people from broken homes also have a desire to create families where they can experience love and affection which was missing earlier.
To experience unconditional love
There is a deep desire in some people to have a special bond and connection with their child with cannot be matched with any other relationship in the world. This is what some people call ‘unconditional love’ and they chose to have children to experience such strong emotions.
To repair relationships and deepen the bond
People sometimes think that having a child will bring them closer to their partner. They feel that sharing the responsibility of a child and embarking on this new journey together will repair or renew bonds with their significant other.
Social pressure and expectations
It is very common in Indian families for the inlaws to pressurise couples into having children even if the couple plans otherwise. The desire to have a male child still prevails which further adds to this issue.
The desire to have an extension of oneself
Human beings have a deep desire to recreate themselves. This reason may stem from the biological imperative or the need to perpetuate human existence and continue the survival of our species.
To continue the family name
It is a tradition in Indian families for the male child to carry the family name forward. Even today people take great pride in knowing that their children will bear their family name and pass down the traditional family values and the historic lineage.
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About the Author.
Kumkum Gupta is a psychologist at MindTribe.in. You can learn more about her by clicking here
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of MindTribe.in, the Founders, or management team.
Acknowledgement: All images used are open source and from Unsplash.