scott roney, there's not much to worry about, really -- almost NO one advocates for large families these days. People who do have large families are not the norm, far from it. I suspect NPR's appeal may have been tongue-in-cheek, since their parent company is pro-abortion. (One would think they'd be asking African-Americans who have fled Chicago in droves in recent decades for the South, especially Atlanta, to return and thus re-build the population that way.) Advocates for abortion are MUCH more numerous than those for large families, also much more vocal, and their destructive agenda which has claimed almost 60 MILLION lives already (and counting, daily) is also a huge impediment to the spiritual health of this nation. Christ Jesus affirmed the value of children and prophesied destruction to those who would harm them. The fruit of the Spirit is love, and God's love does not reject children.

I will admit right off I didn't bother to read this article (I have read numerous others by the author). There is NO justification in a world with a population surpassing 7 billion for advocating for larger families. Any supposed justification for larger families is misguided and completely ignores the realities of the earth's current and future challenges regarding sustainability. To advocate for larger families given a population of 7 billion is the height of narcissism, blindness, arrogance, insensitivity, shallowness, and the opposite of the fruit of the spirit as listed by Paul in the epistle to the Galatians. Really Jen you have no shame and you should be ashamed of your behavior in this matter.

"One more thing: I think it's amusing how, if a kid has to make her own lunch because Mom has 5 other kids, that's a great character-building asset for the kid. But if the a kid has to make her own lunch because Mom has a prestigious job, suddenly it's a terribly tragedy for the poor neglected child. " It is a character building exercise either bat but one child is doing so because of a need to be helpful to mom who is busy helping other members of the family. The other situation is a kid having to do so because mom wants a prestigious (self-serving egotism) title for herself. One mom is taking care of her family while the other is taking care of herself (the prestigious job is the key. If you said "..because mom left for work to provide for her family...) there might have been a redeeming quality to that mom's actions. But, you specifically focused on mom doing something for herself and so she can have her ego puffed up by prestige. And yes, this would apply to dads....

Kathi, I've never heard even ONE person say it is shocking or sinful for a husband and wife to grow their family through adoption. MANY families (both Christian and non-) have done this. Stephen Curtis Chapman and his wife have adopted children, and actively promote adoption through his ministry. Unfortunately, I have heard people (even Christians) say it is sinful for the Duggars to have a large family, though there is zero Scripture support for that opinion. Kathleen Mch, did you notice that it's NPR that's calling families to have more children? AFAIK, they haven't mentioned Jesus in that appeal. The real tragedy is that so many American children have been killed by abortion; the death toll is nearing 60 MILLION now. We rightly mourn the deaths of 20 children in CT, but ignore the deaths of other children, even younger and more innocent, with studied and terrible indifference. About making lunches: I do think it's sad when a child is not reared by his or her own parent(s).

One more thing: I think it's amusing how, if a kid has to make her own lunch because Mom has 5 other kids, that's a great character-building asset for the kid. But if the a kid has to make her own lunch because Mom has a prestigious job, suddenly it's a terribly tragedy for the poor neglected child.