on parents and parenting

This is a cross post from a thread in google+ about this video:




I said:

"I think that people should be left to make their own choices for their own reasons without being judged. I have friends with kids who are brilliant parents. I have friends with no kids who are brilliant at not being parents. I for one would feel something missing if my daughter had not been born. In no case is there a value judgement being applied here by me about which "path" is the right one. There is no right one. Just different ones. Collectively, we are all too quick to jump to judgement about choices that others make without bothering to take the time to actually consider that perhaps they know exactly what they are doing.

In fact, my childless friends all get along with my daughter very well. They all without exception like her, respect her, and enjoy spending time with her. But they all know themselves. They all know (with one or two exceptions - people who want kids but who have not got them for reasons which are nobody's business but their own) that they do not want kids of their own. But they all know that they like young people.

There is no contradiction here. I credit my friends with having enough brains to know themselves and know what motivates them to being happy people."

And with that thought, sing with me please:

"If you're tacky and you know it quote yourself! <clap clap>

If you're tacky and you know it quote yourself! <clap clap>

If you're tacky and you know it and you really want to show it

If you're tacky and you know it quote yourself! <clap clap>"

Thank you, thank you, I am here all week, don't forget to tip your waitress...