Sunday May 17, 2009, 6:28 am
Down the road a couple will
have advanced access to how their
child will look at the age of
say 25 long before it is born.

The traditional surprise of
what sex & how the baby
looks will soon be out the
window........

This is a sad commentary on
our times & more, ethical values.

Plant trees for life.......

Sunday May 17, 2009, 7:51 am
I don't think it's necessarily a sad commentary on our ethical values, Cala. After all, when people adopt children usually they specify what sex child they wish to adopt. And we've always allowed that. Having them biologically is no different.

Unlike hair color, height, and other cosmetic things, which are completely immaterial to raising a child, sex is a relatively important factor. Because in some ways (though there are certainly exceptions), we will relate differently to boys vs. girls. My mother was hoping for a girl when she had me because she said she wanted the fun of sharing all the "girl" things with me. She wanted the fun of taking me to ballet class and sewing my first tutu. The fun of planning my wedding. The fun of talking about how to handle boys. Essentially, she wanted someone with whom she could relate woman to woman. And after me, she was hoping for a boy (which she got, two of them). Just as a man may want a son so that he can enjoy all the "man" things with him. And while some boys may enjoy taking ballet and some girls may rather play football, those are the exceptions, and the fundamental differences between the sexes are nonetheless very real.

And if I, as a single woman, ever chose to have a child, I would definitely choose a girl. Because I would feel more confident of my ability to successfully raise a female child - since I have a much greater understanding of what a girl needs than I would for a boy. And would be likelier to be a satisfactory parent.

And this is especially useful for parents who already have several of one sex. If someone has, say, three boys already, it's reasonable to think that they might definitely want a girl next time. And being able to choose the sex is certainly a better option than merely having child after child, hoping that one will be a girl. Or just resigning yourself to the fact that you'll never have a girl.

Sunday May 17, 2009, 8:27 am
Lindsey....You always have such
good comments. You are to be commended
in your thinking.

Perhaps I'm old fashion or getting there.
But too much of waiting & hopeing for
what used to be such a surprise for many
new parents seems to be passe'. No one
wants to be surprised. Your adoption
comment makes great sense though.

Before I had my first child I dreamed
of having a boy. And, now looking back
on it all I have no idea why I wanted
a boy. I had a girl & she is the light
& support system of my life.

I did know in advance 20 years later I
was having a boy, and I could not imagine
raising a boy. It is so different than
a girl. (Medical technology sure changes
in so little time!!)

My son is my baby & I only wish I could
have the pleasure of having him all over
again. I would have waited much longer
to have had my daughter.....In a sense
they are tougher to raise while they
are in their teens. But, she is super
now, got past all those sassy teenybopper
years.

In a nutshell I was saying we want to know
too much in advance of. Sometimes that is
good sometimes not......It really all depends.

Plant trees for life.......

Sunday May 17, 2009, 8:59 am
I think that no matter what we want in advance we always end up loving the child we get and thinking "How could I ever have wanted something different?"

Unlike you and many others, however, I don't like surprises! I much prefer knowing in advance what's going to happen. But I can see how many others would like that surprise.