Every child is a wanted child

[Cairber]

Ok, you've heard the phrase before. Prolifers use it a lot: they claim that the demand of kids equals the supply, but barriers such as education and financial concerns block those "wanting" children from getting them.

Planned Parenthood uses the phrase a bit differently. They use it to justify the choice of abortion: "Make every child a wanted child."

So, in your opinion, is "every child a wanted child"?


Does anyone know if there has ever been a study on the actual numbers of children in foster care, orphanages, etc vs the number of people seeking adoptions?

[Spetulhu]

Does anyone know if there has ever been a study on the actual numbers of children in foster care, orphanages, etc vs the number of people seeking adoptions?

Every time there's a feature on adoption in the local media people mention the long waiting times. The newborns up for adoption are in short supply.

But these things don't correlate. Children in foster homes are generally not available for adoption even if someone was willing to take them. The same for orphans: you don't automatically become a target for adoption by losing your parents.

[Covenant]

Does anyone know if there has ever been a study on the actual numbers of children in foster care, orphanages, etc vs the number of people seeking adoptions?

Depends on which country you're talking about.

As for "Is every child a wanted childn," I'd say no. The facts are pretty obvious. People want abortions, or at least to give their children up. Hell, there was a woman mentioned on CNN who tried to use her kid as a down payment on a car. You have children sold into sex slavery overseas so that their parents can eat.

Wanted? Maybe. Maybe wanted as much, and as honestly, as I want a pony for my birthday.

People have an odd way of showing it though. Abuse, neglect, scare tactics, zapping them with tasers, murdering them, giving them to other people...

In the sense of adoption, SOMEBODY wants them if they get adopted. Foster care is pretty awful to children, and I don't think it's really fair to the kid to do that. Why let a kid grow up in a system that could possibly harm them? Just so you can get past the ethical question of terminating a ball of cells? Not you, of course, but you as in whoever. Honestly, the pro-lifers are the ones most likely be dumbasses about unsafe sex because they have a higher chance of not well educated on contraceptives or properly afraid of STD's and pregnancy.

There's obviously a lot of unwanted children. Even children who are desired by their parents may not end up loved, or respected, or successful in life. It seems incredibly unfair to make a child live a life that they didn't ask for, and not give it the best shot you can. I know that if I was going to have been born with a serious birth defect, I'd just rather have not have been at all. Life is rough enough as it is.

I think parents learn to love, and cope, and work around the problems caused by unwanted prengancies. But an unwanted pregnancy rarely turns into an unwanted child if for no other reason than that's a horrible thing to say, or think, and let your child believe. I've gotta say that a lot of people sure don't want them enough to treat them right.

[Darth Wong]

Any ethical argument that takes the form of a 3-second slogan cannot be taken too seriously.

Besides, a statement like "Every child is a wanted child" reminds me of feelgood but false statements like "All men are created equal". It makes people feel good to say it, but it's not really true and everyone knows it.

Long adoption waiting lists don't change that fact. One of the reasons the waiting lists are long is the fact that some people (to be quite direct) insist on adopting a white baby.

[Superman]

Any ethical argument that takes the form of a 3-second slogan cannot be taken too seriously.

Besides, a statement like "Every child is a wanted child" reminds me of feelgood but false statements like "All men are created equal". It makes people feel good to say it, but it's not really true and everyone knows it.

Long adoption waiting lists don't change that fact. One of the reasons the waiting lists are long is the fact that some people (to be quite direct) insist on adopting a white baby.

Good points.

No, every child is most definitely not a wanted child. In fact, some parents, fathers especially, may become resentful toward their children because of their own emotional issues.

I remember while growing up, I had a friend who lived next door. His dad was a complete asshole, and I remember him getting mad on occasion, and saying things like, "I should have never had kids!" He wasn't joking.

[zippy]

Raising a child is hard work, raising a disabled child is even harder. I've wished I had stayed single and kept the bachelor life style on occasion and I love my kids immensely.

Statements like that are bullshit, I've seen parents who keep their kids more through guilt and a sense of responsibility rather than any overwhelming love.

[Darth Wong]

I'm happy to have kids, but I'm lucky. My kids are generally well-behaved, cute as a button, and most importantly of all, they're healthy. I'm not labouring under a life sentence of being forced to care for an invalid who barely recognizes my presence.

[Ted C]

Long adoption waiting lists don't change that fact. One of the reasons the waiting lists are long is the fact that some people (to be quite direct) insist on adopting a white baby.

Or even just a healthy infant. You don't see a lot of people trying to adopt ten-year-old orphans or children with long-term health issues.

[Magus]

One of the reasons the waiting lists are long is the fact that some people (to be quite direct) insist on adopting a white baby.

Many couples prefer to adopt from overseas countries such as Korea for the simple reason that they don't want to deal with the awkwardness of the birth parents becoming a part of the child's life again. They want a kid all to themselves without fear that the biological parents will suddenly show up and want to make up for lost time.