The Meaning Of Children by Eulah Croson Laucks

Author:Eulah Croson Laucks [Laucks, Eulah Croson]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Social Science, General, Sociology
ISBN: 9781000303261
Google: WgaiDwAAQBAJ
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2019-07-11T03:48:19+00:00

Attitudes Toward Need, Desirability, and Responsibility of Parenthood

This section contains information that may be noted from Table 29 concerning attitudes toward need, desirability, and responsibility of parenthood.

With respect to whether satisfactions outweigh sacrifices of parenthood, 35 percent of those responding in Group A(1) strongly agreed, and about 40 percent agreed with reservations; 35 percent of Group B(2) strongly agreed, and about 44 percent agreed with reservations; 57 percent of those responding in Group C(3) strongly agreed, and 32 percent agreed with reservations; and 69 percent of Group D(4) strongly agreed, and 23 percent agreed with reservations. Thus, over half of all respondents strongly agreed that the satisfactions of parenthood outweigh the sacrifices and heartaches involved, and 34 percent agreed with reservations.

At least 52 percent of all respondents strongly disagreed with the statement that childless married couples are usually frustrated and unhappy, and another 25 percent disagreed with reservations. The group that strongly disagreed was composed of 63 percent of Group A(1), 63 percent of Group B(2), 56 percent of Group C(3), and only 31 percent of Group D(4). Only 12 people out of the 522 responding (2 percent) strongly agreed with the premise.

Forty-six percent of the respondents strongly disagreed with the statement that children are the chief source of meaning and purpose in life. Twenty-five percent disagreed with reservations. Approximately 20 percent agreed with reservations and only 7 percent strongly agreed. Of those strongly disagreeing, Group A(1) respondents made up 27 percent, Group B(2) 35 percent, Group C(3) 26 percent, and Group D(4) only 12 percent.

Again, a higher percentage in Group D(4) than in the other groups agreed that the coming of children improves marital relationships, with 32 percent of Group D(4) respondents strongly agreeing or agreeing with reservations. Of all respondents who strongly disagreed (40.6 percent of total respondents), 20 percent were in Group A(1), 33 percent in Group B(2), 29 percent in Group C(3), and only 18 percent in Group D(4).

Those strongly disagreeing that a child is a part of a divine plan—perhaps a unique creation of Divine Providence—numbered 237 out of 520, or 46 percent. This was 54 percent of Groups A(1) and B(2), 48 percent of Group C(3) and only 28 percent of Group D(4). Thus, respondents age 45 and over were least in disagreement with the statement. In fact, 24 percent of Group D(4) strongly agreed with the statement, while in the other groups only 11 percent of Group C(3), 10 percent of Group B(2), and 8 percent of Group A(1) strongly agreed.

There was a high degree of unanimity across groups that producing a child does not prove that a person is sexually mature. Those who strongly disagreed with the premise totaled 86 percent. Only 18 people (3 percent) altogether strongly agreed, and they were mainly in Groups C(3) and D(4).

There was near unanimity across groups also with respect to leaving to chance or Providence the choice to have children. Nearly 86 percent of all respondents strongly disagreed with the statement: 87 percent of Group A(1), 90 percent of Groups B(2) and C(3), and 77 percent of Group D(4).

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