Qualification

What I'm going to say is probably going to sound elitist, if not outright eugenicist, but I really think that people should have to pass some sort of qualification test before they're allowed to have children. I've finally managed to get out and about today, I'm up in London, and the dominant theme of the day so far seems to have been the number of parents I've seen who don't appear to have the slightest aptitude for dealing with their children. OK, parenting is a learning process, like most things, but, given the irreparable damage that can ensue if it's done wrong, those who want to reproduce should, in my opinion, be required to prove that they can, at least, offer a minimum standard of care and commitment, and understanding of the needs of a child. Not, of course, that I have the slightest expectation that any such curtailment of the 'right' to breed heedlessly would ever be seriously countenanced, it would doubtless be called everything from communism to fascism if any politician or pundit advocated it, but I believe that if every child was born to parents who both wanted them and were willing to take the trouble to learn how to look after them properly, the world in general, and the lives of children in particular, would be far better.

Love & best wishes to all
Sammy B