Would you agree with..

A law that states all prospective parents need to take a parenting course before having a child? This goes for birth parents and parents who want to adopt.

I strongly agree with this, what do you guys think?

No, I do not agree, for multiple reasons.

1.  How are you going to enforce it?

2.  Why is it the government's role to decide what constitutes good parenting and to make youcomply?

3.  Creating another life is a basic human function and, arguably, a fundamental human right.  I can think of few things that are more intrusive than when the state starts calling the shots in the bedroom.

I think it's extremely unrealistic...

....but after reading that spanking thread, I wouldn't be completely opposed to it...haha.

I didn't realize so many people were so backwards and old school.

Original Post by lysistrata:

No, I do not agree, for multiple reasons.

1.  How are you going to enforce it?

2.  Why is it the government's role to decide what constitutes good parenting and to make youcomply?

3.  Creating another life is a basic human function and, arguably, a fundamental human right.  I can think of few things that are more intrusive than when the state starts calling the shots in the bedroom.

1. good question.

2. i never said anything about a lisence, i said they should be recquired to take a parenting COURSE that will cover things on a healthy pregnency & delivery, and vital things when raising a newborn.

3. a human life takes responsible, knowledgable people to raise it, it should have the right to proper care.

I still think that some form of birth control other than only condoms should be mandatory (as in against the law to not take it) and you should have to apply to reproduce (drug tests, living situation inspectionh, etc.)  I've seen some pretty messed up stuff.  Just a couple weeks ago I was reading CNN's website and some mother left her toddler outside of a bar (not even in the car) while she went to drink, and hours later the child was found in the middle of the road.  Some parents abandon their kids in dumpsters, some parents murder their own children.  Crackheads and alcoholics have babies and their kids are born addicted to drugs.  Then there are just those parents who never really wanted kids in the first place but do it for their parents or their spouse or just as result of an "accident" and end up resenting them for their entire lives.  Everyone wishes this was preventable.

Parenting classes don't mean anything.  It would be like high school.  Nobody pays attention.

There will never be a real way to prevent irresponsible people from reproducing.  It just won't happen.  We all have opinions on what should or shouldn't be done, but in reality, if the government took any control over that, everyone would freak out and rebel and we would be in major trouble.

aw man this sucks.

i have to give a speech on why parents should have a LISENCE but i thought that was too extreme so i asked if i could just do it on them taking courses.

so no one agrees?

i just need points on why it would work/be agood idea.

I actually do agree with you, blackout, but I agree that lysistrata is right that actually enforcing it would be nigh impossible and no one would ever want their politician to vote for it.

But there are so many bad parents that I do agree with you.

How about you only give child tax credits to parents who take a parenting class every year?

pg started a thread about this not too long ago

http://caloriecount.about.com/test-eligibilit y-parenthood-ft146267

I used to work for immigration (not to the US) and I know that people who failed to meet a certain level of English on some kinds of visas were required to take an English course.

However, it was discovered later that plenty of people were signing up for the courses and paying the fees - so that they could diligently send us the receipt - but not actually attending the classes. It was at first assumed that people who had paid for the course would attend it, but it was a case of leading a horse to water...

I think the problem with this is that you would have to monitor the attendance of all parents-to-be at a course.

And what would happen to them if they failed to go?

The government regulating any MORE aspects of our personal life is a bad idea.

Original Post by heather84clear:

The government regulating any MORE aspects of our personal life is a bad idea.

You apparently have been around/worked with children who are on the receiving end of their parents physical and sexual abuses...

When  I had my daughter (10 years ago) there was a parenting course at the hospital.  Actually, there were several and before they discharged mother/new baby ONE had to be completed.  Several moms took breastfeeding but I took basic infant care.  There was also a video about Shaken Baby Syndrome and SIDS that was mandatory before release.  Because she was my first, I didn't know any different.  When I had my second I actually asked where the classes were.

Also--in my state, parenting courses are required for adoption. 

Personally.. I believe some kind of ..shot..should be given to men before they hit puberty  which makes it impossible for them to produce sperm

and then some kind of antidote be given when and only when they meet these certain requierments

1. married

2. dependable and moderate income

3. parenting /marriage classes

4. Good moral character

Original Post by se1289:

Personally.. I believe some kind of ..shot..should be given to men before they hit puberty  which makes it impossible for them to produce sperm

 

and then some kind of antidote be given when and only when they meet these certain requierments

1. married

2. dependable and moderate income

3. parenting /marriage classes

4. Good moral character

Who would decide what constitutes #4?

As for the original question, I do think it's a good idea to take parenting classes if you're going to have a child. But it would be impossible to enforce, plus who's criteria would it use? It seems to me from my childed friends that there are so many debates about what constitutes good parenting. Breastfeeding vs. formula, sling vs. stroller, when to wean, when to potty train, whether or not to spank, etc.

Original Post by se1289:

and then some kind of antidote be given when and only when they meet these certain requierments

1. married

2. dependable and moderate income

3. parenting /marriage classes

4. Good moral character

1. Are you going to let anyone who wants to marry, get married? It's incredibly hypocritical to say that "you must be married to have kids" and then say "oh, but you aren't allowed to get married." Besides which, I don't see how getting married makes one a better parent or even in a stronger relationship.

2. What's a moderate income? Are poor people not allowed to have children? Are poor people necessarily bad parents? I think not.

3. This whole thread is about q.3, so I'll leave that one be.

4. Who decides what a good moral character is?

The problem is that you can not regulate the basic animal out of mankind. 

Well educated people commit crimes against their children and families all the time.  There is no economic or educational barrier to cruelty, stupidity or even homicide. 

A tax break is not going to make people less human or sane, less greedy, less perverse, less psychotic, less anything.

Neither will a class at the Y.

There have been two families in my town where the man has killed his infant.  They were both working, and had completed high school.  Family planning and life skills are required in our high schools.  The infants are still dead.  Grown men KNOW that hitting and handling babies is dangerous.  They know it can lead to death.  They still get angry and frustrated and kill the children anyway.

I'm squarely on the fence for this one : )
On the one hand, I have serious reservations about anything being mandatory to have children. If such a plan were to be implemented I would suggest it come with some benefit (tax credit was mentioned?) and be voluntary. At the very least, I think classes should be available for parents free of charge. While you can't make people attend or pay attention, that doesn't mean you're not helping anybody. Some people will pay attention.

As for what constitutes good parenting, based on the child's outcome, there is a fair amount known about what it is. Authoritarian parenting styles, community involvement, etc. And even if parenting style isn't the focus, even more basic topics like how to deal with colic, when your child needs a doctor, what constitutes abuse, etc.

To adopt here you must take a parenting class, be cpr certified, and have a social worker inspect your home.

And I do think people living on government aid should be required to be on BC.

Original Post by blackout:

A law that states all prospective parents need to take a parenting course before having a child? This goes for birth parents and parents who want to adopt.

I strongly agree with this, what do you guys think?

I think it's impractical and unworkable.

I wish pg would come back...