DON'T POSTPONE PARENTHOOD

The ideas about the family are changing rapidly in today’s society. To many people, marriage and families are becoming less important and education and careers are taking priority. Don’t get me wrong, education is super important! I wouldn’t be in school right now if I didn’t think so…but family should always come first. In class we discussed the many reasons people have for either not having children at all or delaying it as long as possible. I was shocked and sort of appalled to learn of how many people let selfish reasons take priority of marriage and family. Many people postpone marriage and having children because they want to first further their careers. They also don’t want to give up the time and effort needed in raising a family and especially the cost. Many people only have 1 or 2 children simply because of the money. Yes, children are very expensive but they are worth it. President Spencer W. Kimball gave great council on this, "You did not come on earth just to “eat, drink and be merry.” You came knowing full well your responsibilities. You came to get for yourself a mortal body that could become perfected, immortalized, and you understood that you were to act in partnership with God in providing bodies for other spirits equally anxious to come to the earth for righteous purposes. And so you will not postpone parenthood. There will be rationalists who will name to you numerous reasons for postponement. Of course, it will be harder to get your college degrees or your financial start with a family, but strength like yours will be undaunted in the face of difficult obstacles.” The Lord will help us and our families through those hard trials, so there is no reason to postpone parenthood. I am the 5^th and last child in my family and if my parents had decided to wait any longer to have kids or to stop after the 4^th child, I wouldn’t be here today. It IS possible to further your education and your career as well as raise a family, so DON’T postpone parenthood!