I know this may seem silly and a ridiculous thing to even talk about, but I personally think that it's a good idea.
It seems to me that here in the US we have to have a license for almost everything else. We have to have a license to fish, hunt, drive, sell things, etc. What about a license to be a parent? That's something that is a real serious issue. There are people out there having children, neglecting them, abusing them, killing them, emotionally abusing them as well, etc. Of course people are going to say that abortion is always a cure for this but why should abortion be an option, that can be just as serious.
There are ways to work around this whole idea and actually patton it out some way. I do believe that this is a good idea some how and believe that it makes alot of sense if you actually take the time to think about.
We could put all women on birthcontrol, if she wants children her and her spouse need to get the parenting license. If a women accidently get pregnant and don't pass the parenting test then it goes up for adoption to parents that got the license but isn't able to have their own child.
Although this all seems silly it could be a solution to many problems such as overpopulation, abortion, kids in orphanages, etc. Please I would like to see others opinions of this and any other ideas and thoughts. DOn't make fun of me too much, It's just something I thought of and thought could be reasonable.

I think the point here is not about sex, it's about people having children irresponsibly. When a child is brought into this world without the proper means to raise it not only does the child suffer but society suffers as well. If this is the case isn't it societies' place to deal with this problem? Being that the operational arm of most modern societies is government, government must inherently be the one to deal with the problemm. Overpopulation of the US is not an issue, however illegitimate children sucking taxpayer money until they are 18 and then going on a crimespree because of their upbringing is our problem.

The problem with this idea is that it's too....crap....like this book I read by this Russian author about a society in which the government controlled everything....people had no walls, just glass because there was no privacy...the government chose who (and by who I mean what person not which sex) you had sex with, and when. And everyone had sex at the exact same time, because it was said to be a human need.

I really hope that homeless people aren't out there having kids in the streets... that is really messed up to be homeless and conceive a child.

oh and rain, birth control is not 100% effective. ive known many people who have concieved children while both parents were using proper birth control. its gonna happen one way or another

Ever seen the movie "Demolition Man"? Kind of the same concept. the court is able to give you a license to have kids but which brings up a question which im sure people will have already answered, im just too lazy to look at all the back posts. what about all the people not on the census? the homeless? the illegal aliens? they could reproduce till their hearts are content then the whole plan would go to sh*t. i am all for sterilizing people or putting birth control in the water. i especially think that if you have aborted 2 kids then they should just tie your tubes on spot.

Rain: I don't feel like explaining it all right now since it;s 3:00 am but go back through some of the old posts, it explains most of it in them.

PARENTING TEST?!

Do you know how incredibly UNreasonable that sounds? How exactly is this test going to work? Are you going to give wannabe parents a little chicken egg, and if it hasn't broken after a month, they get a license?

Or, I know, they're going to take a test. They have to study parenting skills out of a little handbook. DO YOU THINK LIFE CAN BE LEARNED OUT OF A BOOK?!

Fishing, hunting, driving - those are not comparable to parenting. A person's parenting ability is NOT something that can be measured. There is literally NO WAY that you could EVER devise a parenting test.

And this would NOT BE A SOLUTION TO THOSE PROBLEMS. Overpopulation? Not a problem in the US to begin with. In China, yes, it's a problem. But not in the US. Abortion? Ironically, birth control would stop abortions, because you're not getting pregnant to begin with. You're decreasing the probability of life to ZERO. It's the ultimate abortion. And kids in orphanages? A lot of them are there because their parents DIED. Are you going to predict the future and refuse someone a license because they're going to die?

How are you going to enforce birth control? You think the government's going to pay for every single woman to have a form of birth control?

This idea so horrifically infringes on personal freedom so much I can't even believe no one's said anything.

It's a great idea Egyptian, unfortunately most of us are nervous about having our private parts cut once, let alone twice.

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Is that even possible?

You can have your tubes untied wiuth microsugery. We're talking about a money issue coming in though.

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you unsterlize

Is that even possible?

I know how we could make people not get pregnant. Lets sterlize all the men...so that way...when people have sex, they won't get pregnant. We can sterlize them when there younger. Then when you get your license you unsterlize the men and bam!!! We got children being made!! That solves the problem...only proper people can have kids and their will be less abortions. Ok men...which one of you want to be first in line to be sterlized!

Good Idea huh??

Yes I agree Iwannastayfree, but like you said it probably won't happen any time soon. I don't think that children should have to suffer.

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Ohio, I parenting license would sort of promote more abortions.

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No I think that is there was some way, that the people could not get pregnant until they got the license or something. I wanted it to some how end abortion I just cant think of a way. I was hoping others could contribute to that part.

The idea, I will admit, it is for a good purpose, but people need to take responsibility for themselves and their actions without the need for any kind of ruling to be passed. (However, I do not see this happening any time soon)

The problem is indeed societies' problem Iwanna. If a kid has cracked out or nonexistant parents then of course they are not being taught about safe sex or abstinence, and they don't know about good parenting because they themselves don't have a good parent. That is why we are saying the problem has to be caught at the source, before an ignorant and irresponsible person has a child. The ideal situation would be if we could put a "device" either on males to stop them from ejaculating or females to stop eggs from getting fertilized. This ideal device would be non harmful and non permanent, when a person proved that they would be a fit parent the device would be removed. Of course no such device exists so we have to either snip or tie tubes to prevent this, which encroaches on a whole plethora of medical and legal problems. Also I'm sure there would arise legal problems with regard to whom decides what a fit parent is. An immigrant mexican is probably going to have a different model of a fit parent then I do.
Really the spirit of this post is we are wondering why you need a license to do some things that are trivial but any 2 idiots can have a child and raise it wrong, then release it upon society to harm society and continue the cycle by having more offspring, which is what is happening alot today.

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Putting everyone on birthcontrol is not possible. Poor peoplcouldn't afford it, and catholics wouldn't allow it.

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Yes, I'm sure Catholics would be the only religious group to be upset over it.



Ohio, I parenting license would sort of promote more abortions.

You honestly think that it would be feasible to just pass out a test and tell a woman that if she doesn't pass it she can't have children? What is this world coming to? I strongly disagree with children having children, but part of the problem is, they are not being properly taught how hard it is to care for a child until they have to find out the hard way. This is no reason to start handing out these licenses. Parents need to be teaching their kids from a young age how strenuous it is to raise a child, and perhapse the children will be less compelled to reach the age of puberty and start having unprotected sex. The problem is not necessarily with the people, but with society itself. There is a lot of pressure for young teens to have sex, and those who do often are rushed into it without much thought as to what could possibly happen, and where to go from there.

I agree barkid it is very difficult to understand and try to work it but I think that if enough people thought of ideas and ways to try to make this work it would be well worth it. Children are what run our country and they are the key to life. If we do not try to help them in various ways then things could go terribly wrong. I am very determined on this though it seems like a lost cause. Children deserve better then what most parents give them.

Honestly we do have a problem in this country with children being born that resulted from an accidental pregnancy where the father is unknown or nowhere to be found. We have children being born that resulted from a welfare parents wish to get paid more from the government. We even have children born into wealthy homes that are illegitamte or consumated to prevent a divorce.
The problem with taking away children is that people whom adopt or become foster parents get paid by the government to do so, therefore many people take in children with the ulterior motive of money and then neglect or abuse the child moreso than even a bad natural parent would.
Do you cut the problem out at it's source with sterilization and birth control or do you catch the "mistake" after it happens with protective services, foster care, and parenting classes?
I don't think anyone has the answers to these questions but the bottom line is that it is hard to understand how we could require a government license to do significantly less important things such as hunt, fish, drive a car, travel, or build a home, yet ANY male and female can run into each other and create a new life that becomes a part of "the system", a responsibility of the parents, the taxpayers, and society in general.
Trying to work this one out hurts my head.

Freedom, lets please try to be nice and not provok anything.