Dr. Erica Komisar

But what comes with that to foster healthy development is frustration, lack of sleep, stress, discomfort. And so that should be part of the job description.

But what comes with that to foster healthy development is frustration, lack of sleep, stress, discomfort. And so that should be part of the job description.

It is. So I speak at a big conference called the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship, and they talk about a lot of these alarming dropping birth rates. The truth is, though, that as countries become more developed— Birth rates do decline to a certain degree. That has to do with economics, some of it.

It is. So I speak at a big conference called the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship, and they talk about a lot of these alarming dropping birth rates. The truth is, though, that as countries become more developed— Birth rates do decline to a certain degree. That has to do with economics, some of it.

But there is a trend that's happening that's worse than this, which is people, it's not that they're having less children, which actually, everybody has their own limits in terms of their capacity to give and to love. And so for some people, maybe one child is enough. For other people, five children isn't enough, meaning they have so much inside of them to give, right?

But there is a trend that's happening that's worse than this, which is people, it's not that they're having less children, which actually, everybody has their own limits in terms of their capacity to give and to love. And so for some people, maybe one child is enough. For other people, five children isn't enough, meaning they have so much inside of them to give, right?

But the alarming thing for me isn't the dropping birth rates due to economics, you know? So maybe people aren't having 10 children like they used to. They're having three children or two children, right? The alarming thing for me is that people are not having children, right?

But the alarming thing for me isn't the dropping birth rates due to economics, you know? So maybe people aren't having 10 children like they used to. They're having three children or two children, right? The alarming thing for me is that people are not having children, right?

That's more alarming to me because that's more a sign not of a country developing but of a country and a society, of a modern society, which does not see the value in raising children and having deep and loving relationships be a priority in your life.

That's more alarming to me because that's more a sign not of a country developing but of a country and a society, of a modern society, which does not see the value in raising children and having deep and loving relationships be a priority in your life.

It's different. And why is it different? It's a good question. It's different because in the end, your relationship with your partner or with your auntie or with your dog isn't the same level of dependency. The ability to care for another human being, to allow another human being to be dependent on you, to devote to that human being, is a growing, transforming experience for human beings.

It's different. And why is it different? It's a good question. It's different because in the end, your relationship with your partner or with your auntie or with your dog isn't the same level of dependency. The ability to care for another human being, to allow another human being to be dependent on you, to devote to that human being, is a growing, transforming experience for human beings.

I'm not sure I completely buy this fully because – but Jordan Peterson I think has said – I think it was Jordan who said that you can't fully become an adult if you don't have a child. Now, I'm not sure I would go that far because there are some people who can't have children. But I do think that there is something –

I'm not sure I completely buy this fully because – but Jordan Peterson I think has said – I think it was Jordan who said that you can't fully become an adult if you don't have a child. Now, I'm not sure I would go that far because there are some people who can't have children. But I do think that there is something –

in terms of developmentally on an adult development level that transforms you, that is meant to transform you in being generative and having children. Again, it's not for everyone. And I do say this, that I'm not part of the pro-natality movement where I say everybody should have children. I don't think everybody should have children. But I do think that if you're going to have children,

in terms of developmentally on an adult development level that transforms you, that is meant to transform you in being generative and having children. Again, it's not for everyone. And I do say this, that I'm not part of the pro-natality movement where I say everybody should have children. I don't think everybody should have children. But I do think that if you're going to have children,

then you need to look deeply at your own upbringing and your own losses and your own early traumas before you bring them into this world so you can repair whatever it is you need to repair and not create what we call generational expression of things like attachment disorders and mental illness and

then you need to look deeply at your own upbringing and your own losses and your own early traumas before you bring them into this world so you can repair whatever it is you need to repair and not create what we call generational expression of things like attachment disorders and mental illness and

Yeah.

Yeah.