Some couples know they want kids, some know they don't. Rarer are couples where one person wants them but the other isn't sure. They're the ones that ask: "Why have kids, what's the appeal?" Every time I answer this question I remember a subset of my reasons, so with a little more time and thought, in no particular order, here are 11 reasons why my wife and I had kids:

To be our best selves.
Having a kid is a forcing function to get your life together. We want our son to grow up in a good home, with loving parents, who live an interesting life, who he can look up to. Well, we need to become those people, with a strong relationship, finances in check, friends nearby, and interesting projects of our own.

To advance the plot of life.
Life is short, but long if you know how to live it. One way to make life feel longer is to push the plot forward - to make changes, to do big things, to put yourself into new situations.

It's something to do together.
There are only so many restaurants, parties, or vacations we can go on before they get boring. But we love to do things together and we want projects to work on. Making a happy family can be seen as one big project, or a thousand small ones. Either way we view each challenge as an opportunity to learn and live beautifully.

Good families make great societies.
Good families make life good for the people in them and for the people close to them. They're a source of strength, a safety net, and a space to learn and play. The world needs more strong families, and we have a shot at making one.

Become a kid yourself.
Being a kid is the best - they have aimless days, they go deep down rabbit holes, they feel awe and wonder all the time. We quickly forget how to be kids, and the best way to remember it is to be around kids. It's a chance to relive the magic of childhood.

Someone to take care of you when you're old.
I'm committed to taking care of my parents when they need it, and I want the same for me and my wife. If our bond with our kids is strong, there's a good chance they will.

Connects us to more of the world.
Having and raising kids is (or was) close to the most universal human experience. This experience connects us to so much more of the world, and more people and more events in the world make sense to me because of it.

Kids are endlessly entertaining.
First they are cute and silly, then they're hilarious and brilliant. They say the darndest things. They laugh and make others laugh and you never know what'll come next with them.

Continue your lineage.
Genetically or culturally, if you like what you or your partner have, it's good to make more of it in the world. Kids are a form of life extension. Great families are a form of immortality.

Clear purpose.
There's often no question what matters most when kids are involved. They reduce choice and provide clarity. That clarity can provide fuel for many other moves in life.

Some things only make sense afterwards.
One can get stuck endlessly debating a decision, or they can take the action which produces the information. With some faith in people we trust, we decided this action was called for.

Originally published at https://shreyans.org/why-kids
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