Family

There is considerable social pressure today for Mums and Dads to consider their careers, their mortgage and their own personal needs before having children.

The national annual birthrate is declining as Australians choose to restrict the size of their families, or not have children at all.

Sure! having kids all seems like hard work, personal sacrifice and considerable expense. But all this aside, the sacrifices made for children and the sharing of growth times together, can help parents to more fully understand the real meaning and depth of the love they have for each other.

It’s perhaps time we all reviewed how we feel about the value and dignity of families in Australia. What’s the point of promoting the development of national pride and getting all worked up about our flag and our immigration policies if, in the longer term, we can’t even replace ourselves.

To the over-populated countries of Asia, Australia must seem like a ‘Garden of Eden’. If more emphasis were to be placed by government at all levels in supporting and encouraging family growth then maybe this might engender a change in our current attitude.

In addition we would need to rethink where our priorities lie, bearing in mind the future of the country we are leaving our children. For it is my belief today’s families are tomorrow’s future.

I’m Peter Mack and that’s life.

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