Competitive breeding

I was reading a book Shadow Syndromes" about the effect of depression and other things on day to day life for people There was a story of a moo who seemed to only have had kids because both her sisters convinced her that she was the "odd one out" for not being a moo. The woman was just psychologically flattened by the kid, but still felt it was a good idea. It seems a lot of people will have kids because they see life as a race and someone who goes for a simpler life is not winning the prize at each milestone

Yeah, and it's easier to do than, let's say, get a degree because your sisters did, or get the fabulous job because your brothers did, make the right choices in life and putting off other pleasures to save money, buy a home or whatever. It's more obtainable to the unmotivated person, who let's life lead them instead of them leading life. (Although we never really have total control over life, it throws us a curveball outta the blue)

Oh great. Children of depressed parents, especially mothers, are at high risk for depression and other mental health issues themselves. That's because depressed people make lousy parents (surprise, surprise). They find parenthood overwhelming and are always tired or irritable.

Maybe I should check out Shadow Syndromes. I realize now my mom was depressed or had some kind of mental illness.

And if you aren't depressed to begin with, being a parunt can definitely bring it out.

Ongoing mental health issues is only one of the reasons I didn't sluice. I decided that I had to take care of myself, and there was no way I could look after a brat if I did that. Someone would have to suffer, and no doubt, it would be both of us.

I can't imagine how bad my depression would be if I had a kid depending on me.

Same here. I’ve had episodes of depression since I was eighteen. No way I wanted a child.

It takes a child to raze a village.