Alone in the Car: U.S. Birthrate Goes Down, Way Down

The Pew Research Center, along with the Center for Disease Control, released a report on this country's birth rate. They researched  U.S. census data along with CDC's  statistics that were collected from 1990 through 2010. (See: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-204_162-57556442/u.s-birth-rate-lowest-since-1920-blame-the-economy/)
1. The U.S. birth rate declined 8 percent from 2007 to 2010, and for 2010(the last year they could research), the birth rate is at 63.2 births per 1,000 women(of childbearing age). That's the lowest number recorded since 1920 when reliable statistics were first kept.
2. The U.S. birth rate's peak was in 1957 during the "Baby Boom," reaching 122.7 births per 1,000 women. The baby boom is mostly attributed to the high number of marriages after WWII.
3. The birth rate held steady at around 65 to 70 births per 1,000 women since the mid-1970s, but has been falling since 2007.

These facts are generally accepted. The causes and theories for the decline in the birthrate are numerous: 1. the economy. 2. the decline in marriages. 3. immigrants having fewer births. 4. couples choosing not to have children. 5. More people deciding to stay single without children. And of course there are other ideas as well such as divorce rate, environmental/chemical, "angry" world, etc.

I wish I could write about the affect of future business without people. This is true, but this is not where my heart is today. Alone in the Car blog gives me the opportunity to explore where my ponderings and thoughts are traveling, and profit margins are far away today.

I am a married woman who has grown children. I would do it all over again. There is nothing like watching small children discovering the world. They bring joy, laughter, appreciation, and exploration into the home. They also have automatic trust, faith, love, hugs, and confidence in those around them. They have no prejudice, no pre-determinations, they know no laws that have to explain unalienable rights. They love everyone and everything.

To deny oneself these opportunities is to deny Santa. Just like Virginia asking if there is a Santa Claus (see: http://www.newseum.org/yesvirginia/) or watching "Charlie Brown Christmas" on t.v., there are things way beyond ourselves. One of them is children.

You can enclose yourself in a cocoon and never feel a little hand pat your face and look into your eyes, OR you can take part of yourself and sacrifice for a much higher priority. Someone worthy of that  devotion. A baby. Your baby. There is nothing greater than giving of yourself to a precious little one.