Around the Web…

Some stories to get you through the work day:

• Does birth order really matter? — Jezebel
• A hormonal “culprit” in infertility that is often overlooked — New York Times
• How old is too old to carry your child around? — MOMformation
• Should faking pregnancy be punishable by law? — lilSugar
• Celeb mom Soleil Moon Frye wonders, why don’t we need licenses to parent? — The Little Seed

Comments

So, who would decide who gets a license to parent? What would the requirements me? Passing a course on parenting? If so, what style of parenting would you be forced to practice? Would there be in income requirement? Because then I probably would have not been allowed to have my daughter. What about an intelligence requirement? Will we bar people who don’t meet the IQ requirement from reproducing? What about a religious requirement? Or a requirement on physical appearance? Clearly, it makes no sense to require a license to become a parent! That leads right down the path to Nazi Germany.

Should abusive and neglectful parents be allowed to keep their children? No. That’s why there are laws in place and agencies that take care of those situations. But to suggest that all people should have to meet certain requirements to be allowed to reproduce is preposterous and dangerous.

Sadly, I’ve lost respect for Soleil Moon Frye for even thinking such a thing.

- finais on July 8th, 2009

All excellent points – why do people make these inane arguments without thinking through the policy implications?

- ecl on July 8th, 2009

Wow….to that license thing…

and I personally think your kid shouldn’t be carried when they’re too big. I mean I wouldn’t carry a 6 year old around all the time, but sometimes it makes them feel good.

- Anon on July 8th, 2009

Thank you finais, you took the words right out of my mouth!

- Rose on July 8th, 2009

I completely agree with finais.Many people make these kinds of commentaries (“if you need a liscence for driving,why is it so easy for these people to have kids?”).Usually I smile and move on but the idea is so selfrighteous and snobby it’s hard to take sometimes.I’m pretty sure many of the people who make this comment to me about other people’s parenting style say the same thing about me and my daughter when we’re not around.

- eva on July 8th, 2009

If Soleil is going to use that argument, mine response is “Then let’s require a license / regulation process for *naming* a kid.” I can just see her going “But, but — there’s different naming styles! Who’s to say who is right or wrong ?” ‘Nuf said.

- Megan on July 8th, 2009

Megan, BEST comment I’ve read on here! That is so so funny. Some people really do need naming licenses.

- Andrea_momof2 on July 8th, 2009

Hahahahaha Megan

- MZ on July 9th, 2009

Some of the comments on Soleil’s blog boggled my mind. Checking in with doctors every 3 months? When so many people can’t get health insurance, how are they supposed to do that? When parents are working 2 jobs a piece to be able to afford having a child, when are they supposed to take classes? I hardly see classes as preventing abuse anyway.

- MZ on July 9th, 2009

Every time I hear someone make the comment about how people should have licenses to have children, especially parents who suggest this, I always laugh. The whole idea is just absolutely absurd in my opinion. Seriously, if a license was required what makes anyone of us think that we would past the test and be awarded said license? Even on this very website we see that there are vastly different ideas on how to parent and raise children. So whose ideals, parenting skills, and quality of life wins out? While I somewhat understand the sentiments behind the proposal I still believe it is a very pompous and elitist ideology whose underlying message suggests that there is only one ideal way to raise a child and only one ideal type of parents who could put those ideal in place. How would the guidelines for parenting licenses apply to people from different cultures, religions, ethnic backgrounds? And how would a license prevent people from neglecting and abusing their children? People with driver’s licenses violate motor vehicle laws all day, every day across this country. Honestly, the idea just makes no sense at all.

- lizzielui on July 9th, 2009