Letters to the Editor
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@ Lola Faire
Family *is* wonderful, and it can bring out the best in people, but here's the thing *you don't have to have children to be part of a family*! In fact, it is often the childless 'auntie' or 'uncle' to whom children go to receive teachings and validation that their frazzled parents can't give them. Childless people in an extended family are an asset to the family as a whole, not a detriment. Just as children are an asset to a family as a whole, not a detriment. ANY family member -- even (especially?) the most noxious ones -- teach us lessons and help us become more enlightened, productive people.
You *say* you don't judge childless people, but then you go on to imply that childless people have nothing better to do than sip lattes and use more energy per capita than people with children.
To have children or not have children is not something that ANYONE should judge another person for.
Because I don't have children, I have time to volunteer in the community, I have time to teach the young teens in my family photo-shopping and audio production. I have the means to take a kid on his or her OWN to a play or a concert.
Families with kids tend to scramble just to complete the day to day stuff, they are rarely able to give each kid 'alone time' or tailor interests to suit one child. I am. I don't think that's selfish.