questian for those who want children

Men and women, why do you want children? I'm just curious why so many people want children.

I can think of at least a few reasons beyond the hard-wired biological drive to desire having children:

Unconditional love
Family of one's own
Carry on the family name
The joy of being surrounded by loved ones
Service to humanity by raising Godly children

These do not always pan out, as there is much dysfunction, tragedy, and sorrow in some families.
Some want a family of their own to turn these family misfortunes and trends around to healing.

I actually didn’t want children. My wife wanted children and I wanted my wife. We have four children. It’s a life that is bitter sweet. Although it has been a hard fought gravel road I would say they have caused more of a change in me like nothing else could have. I’ve found that because I pushed my comfort level past the breaking point so far, everything in life just seems easy now. Nothing really gets me down. If you can survive parenthood, you can survive anything. Great crucible!

Just spend a few hours with my grandsons and granddaughter-in-laws and my great grandchildren, and you'll wonder why people don't want children. There is no greater blessing from God.

SIMPLE ANSWER: GOD TOLD MEN AND WOMEN TO HAVE CHILDREN.

Correction: God told CERTAIN/specific men and women to go forth and multiply.

Others He prevented from having children.

God gave this commandment to THE HUMAN RACE. So no correction required.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. (Gen 1:27,28)

BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY = BEAR MANY CHILDREN

Barrenness was an anomaly in Scripture, and often it had significance for the parents and how God would work in their lives to give them children, e.g. Abraham and Sarah, Zacharias and Elisabeth.

service to humanity by raising Godly children???? lol I dont know about that...the Messiah has already come.
I dont think a lot of parents think that way...well the ones i speak to.

the reality is actually a lot different. Many people have children so they can grow up and look after them when they are old, or to put them to work after their spouse has died...or because its expected to have an heir (and spares) or their parents want them to. Some have children because they were an only child and were lonely.

some men who desired to have children only wanted boys. Why I suspected they wanted clones of themselves, like mini-mes. Many people actually dont want daughters as they are expensive to raise. :-(

He is to come again. Yes, people desire to raise Godly children, and for them to have a proper perspective/grasp of Biblical Truth, and hold to it. It is a great disappointment and even heartbreak for parents to have their children depart the faith of their upbringing.

Proverbs 22:6 & Proverbs 1:8-9

is a good question though.
Maybe Hannah was the exception when she said she would dedicate her child to the Lord and Samuel grew up to be a prophet. This was because she was wife number two and wife number one already had children. And was teaasing her about it.

Jacobs wives were in competition with each other who could have the most. Leah actually had children because she thought it would make Jacob love her more than Rachel...but that didn't work. sadly.

Actually they represented the human race, since all human beings are descended from them. So what was said to them was said in general to all mankind. And this is quite clear from the wording. "Let us make man" means let us make mankind.

Because this is super cool !

Yeah but you have to get to the "grand" level

From what I can tell, that looks like the dessert level. I keep wanting that, but then I'm like...oh right, gotta go through parenting first.

Being sans wife, I am content with the uncle status. Maybe somewhat similar, just less "oompfh"

Personally at 58 I don't, but my younger wife does and my pastor tells me I should still try to be fruitful and multiply and I can agree with both of them. That's all there is to it for me. I have not had children but I do want my wife to have someone to help take care of her when she is older. I think since I haven't had children there is some unfinished business. I know there is a lot to consider but the bottom line, for me, is the Bible says to be fruitful and multiply and I have not done that but it may still be possible.
If God doesn't allow it, then I tried.

In the Bible the patriarchs wanted children. Having children is a good thing. God said be fruitful and multiply. Being barren is presented as a reproach.

Why want children? Babies and little kids are cute and fun. They are also a lot of fun. As they get older you have people who are your own family to pour your life into, peopke to give to, more people to love and love you in return.

I agree with you that unless there is some compelling reason not to have children or an inability to have chldren, married couples should not interfere with the process. I think one child at a minimum is the requirement if they are able.

If be fruitful and multiply is taken as a command, three children or more per couple is multiplying. Two is just replacement.

But if they were both widowed and remarried having three kids each from the prior marriage, does that new marriage have to 'multiply'--or try.

If we take it as a blessing, it shows us that multiplying is desirable.

Indeed. The most persistent prayer request at our church (heavily weighted to older folks) is for the salvation of their children.
Its heartbreaking. I am not interested in that kind of heartache. If after doing my best my children failed to accept the gospel, I could never live with myself.

Lest we forget:
-Nadab and Abihu (children of Aaron)
-Hophni and Phinehas (sons of Eli)
-Joel Abijah (sons of Samuel)
-Davids many rotten sons
-Cain
-every son and daughter who died on the flood
-every son and daughter in Caanan at the time of Joshua
-the sons and daughters who died in the WW2 Jewish holocaust

There are no guarantees as far as kids are concerned. Myself, I will not gamble knowing the reality of this world and who presently owns it. Fortunately Paul says to stay as you are, and refrain from commitments to children because of "present distress". And as I perceive that these ARE INDEED the last seconds of this present doomed age, I have been excused from having children. And I rejoice and praise God for this.