Why Won’t Millennials Have Babies?
“When are you going to start having babies?”
I vividly remember asking our daughter Abby that question about two years after she had been married. Upon her graduation from Hillsdale College and subsequent marriage to a Hillsdale classmate I assumed the strong conservative education that she had received would have made the importance of having children obvious.
But, like so many others her age, she had started her upward climb in her career having landed a sweet position as a legislative aide in the Ohio Statehouse. She was a quick thinker and strong in her beliefs and she was no doubt on her way up the political ladder.
However, after a year in that position she was offered a job with a mega-church and her desire to serve the Lord moved her out of government and into the ministry. She was content there, yet somewhat disillusioned by what she saw going on behind the scenes. Being on the inside of the church business involved a lot of conflict and she really did see the underbelly of Christian ministry.
“So when are you going to start having babies?”
“Well Dad,” she responded. “I made a commitment when I took the job at the church and they really don’t want to train us in our jobs only to have us leave because we are pregnant.”
“Huh?” I queried. “Now more than ever we need young Christians like you having children or this nation will go to hell in a hand-basket. Are you telling me that those at the CHURCH are not encouraging young college graduates to start producing arrows?”
“Not directly, Dad. But there is certainly a feeling that you get when someone starts talking about starting a family. It is not that they are against families, but just that the work we do for the ministry is the top priority.”
“Look Abby. Children are a gift from God. Why would you purposefully block the blessing of the Lord? Your mother and I have invested our lives into you and it is now time for you to invest your life into your children. Your mom and I deserve grandbabies. Being a mother is the most important thing you can ever do with your life.”
Three months later, they were pregnant and since the birth of that first arrow in their quiver she has dedicated her life to homeschooling their growing family. I’ll never forget overhearing her say to her then-childless former college roommate, “it is the most gratifying thing I have ever done in my life. I never dreamed how fulfilling children would make our lives.”
Why won’t our children have children?
My wife Michele and I are in our mid sixties. Most of our friends are the same age, yet it grieves us to see how many of our friends’ children still have not given their parents grandchildren. Christian parents, I am referring to. Highly educated, financially successful, loving parents have failed to pass on to their children the importance of childbearing.
Where has our generation gone so wrong? How have we raised such a self-centered, me-first generation? Look around you. How many friends do you have who are into their 60’s and beyond and still don’t have any grandkids?
Perhaps it is the fruit of abortion…you know the mantra…my body my choice. Could it be that we have made childbearing an option rather than a duty? The Psalms tell us that “the fruit of the womb is HIS reward.” His reward? Yep. Children are God’s reward from the union that occurs in the marriage bed. Failure to have children is robbing God of HIS reward.
The consequences of our self-inflicted barrenness is a culture in decay. When Christians don’t have children how can we expect our nation to have a society where Christian values are taught, enforced, and expected?
“But you shouldn’t have children until you can afford them” I hear the secular Christians chortle. We all know that if we waited to have them until we could afford them no one would ever have babies. Sadly, that mindset is more common in America’s pulpits than we would like to admit.
American Christians need to start having children and they need to start now. It is obvious that inflation and over taxation by our government has forced both parents into the workforce. Sadly, many young married couples can’t live on one income. Don’t you think that the government could create policies that would encourage young parents to stay home and raise families? Is it just me or does it seems as if the government is doing just the opposite? Should both parents have to work so that “illegals” can get welfare?
It looks as if the Baby Boomers are the last generation to build generational wealth forged primarily through inflation. Our nation’s undisciplined spending lays heavily on the backs of our children.
How badly do you want to have grandchildren Boomers? Instead of buying that motor home and cruising the nation perhaps you should consider cracking open your nest egg and taking the burden off of your children. Offer to pay your children’s mortgage if Mom stays home and raises the kids. Invest in your children NOW so that you can spend your golden years with a quiver full of grandbabies.
Spend the money on your children NOW or they will spend it on themselves after you pass away. “Blessed is the man whose quiver is full…”
