Do you think it is irresponsible to have kids if the parents are poor/living paycheck to paycheck?

Are children owed more than just the bare necessities in life (i.e. food, basic clothing, shelter)?

Curious to see what BG thinks...

I think you know what I think on the subject.  

Why should a person be denied the happiness of a family just because they aren't rich and have alot of money saved up?? I'm never going to be rich, and If i waited till the "right time" i would never have babies! You learn what is important in your life and you cut out nonessential things. Just because they do't have the flashy bike or new air jordans, I guarantee you my child will still grow up just as loved and well rounded as the next!

Almost everyone lives cheque to cheque unless you spent a good chunk of your life in university.

Ttc them, yes. Suck it up and make it work if you end up pregnant and can't/won't abort or adopt out...kind of but I wouldn't smurf on someone for it. I've been there.

some people only need necessities, others think you need all the new fancy stuff and clothes to be happy..

you could raise a happy family with little to no money. we have done it for thousands of years and find a way.. i wouldnt TTC if i had no money.. but smurf happens...

I think its irresponsible only if you are on a tight budget before having kids. But if you've done the math, can pay your doctor bills and still live paycheck to paycheck with your child's expenses then I don't see the big deal.

I think as long as you can provide the basics without help.

I don't think it's the best idea to TTC when you're living check to check, but if it happens it happens.

I think as long as you can give the child everything they NEED then no its not irresponseible. If you can provide food,shelter, clothing and.love then i think thats all that truly counts.

Like all of the other ladies said. As long as you can afford to take care of them and give them everything they need then i don't see it as irresponsible.

Quoting E.P. Mom:" Why should a person be denied the happiness of a family just because they aren't rich and have alot of ... [snip!] ... the flashy bike or new air jordans, I guarantee you my child will still grow up just as loved and well rounded as the next! "

No one said rich. Poor or paycheck to paycheck? Don't bring a baby into that situation. Babies are expensive. Children even more so.

You should have some sort of savings (3 months of living expenses in my opinion) before you TTC.

I'd say it depends. If they can support a child while living pay check to pay check then no it is not irresponsible. The only thing a child really needs is a good supportive home/ lifestyle, lots of love, cared for and fed etc. they really don't NEED anything more, the rest aren't necessities, they are just extras. Now if they couldn't afford to feed another mouth or clothe another body then yes it would be irresponsible. But smurf happens all the time and sometime during pregnancy you could suddenly fall poor and lose everything. If that's the case then it's just bad luck and bad timing, not being irresponsible. If any I that made sense lol.

Personally, I don't think so. People are so focused on "stuff" these days and not on what really matters. I don't think you should TRY to have kids if you receive government assistance, but I don't think it's necessarily irresponsible to not be rich and still try to have kids.Do they have a roof over their head? Clothing? Food?

People wonder why kids are becoming more and more "entitled" these days - it's bevause people are obsessed with giving their kids all kinds of random crap that just isn't needed like they owe their child something.....the only thing you owe your children is Love, Respect and the Basic Essentials. Everything over and above should be earned and worked for, not put on the parent. I'm not saying no one should ever do anything extra for their children, but I think people spoil their kids outrageously these days.

I go back and forth on this..
I feel like every parent thinks that their child deserves the world, but giving a kid everything they need and more is just not possible for some.
I think that if they live in a suitable home that has everything it needs (electric, heat, hot water.. etc) and they are able to provide food and basic necessities for the child then I see nothing irresponsible about having a baby.But if they are sometimes not even able to buy food for themselves, then it makes me wonder how they're going to feed, clothe and diaper a child.