Q. Are you saying that women are better than men or more important than men?A. No. We are saying that raising children really well is the most important contribution that can be made to a better society. A highly nurturant infancy is crucial to raise them to be caring and healthy human beings. The best way to provide that ideal early childhood is to provide those children with lovingly maternal mothers. Therefore, as a society, we must make adequate support to mothers a priority.
Q. Isn't a father as important as the mother?
A. For the very young child, a mother is biologically and psychologically more important. A father is increasingly important to children as they grow up. The first task for a father of young children is to support their mother, so that their mother can in turn give his children the superior maternal care they need and deserve. The mother should express her appreciation for his support and teach his children to respect their father for his support.
Q. Isn't it regressive to emphasize the reproductive aspect of women's lives, instead of all the other capacities of women? Isn't this prejudicial toward women who choose not to become mothers?
A. Again, the priority is on the welfare of children. Besides mothers, other women who play a maternal role, such as teachers, deserve adequate support so they can fulfill their caretaking roles well. All the other wonderful contributions that men and women can make in science, the arts, business, and elsewhere are valuable. Nevertheless, their value is supplementary to the basics of life, foremost of which is the quality of care of our children.
Q. By focusing on a pleasurable and supported maternal experience, aren't you encouraging a population explosion that will harm the environment?
A. For the well-being of however many children we have in this world, we must guarantee a quality childhood. Demonizing human reproduction, as some environmentalists have done, puts our children at risk. Restraint can be fostered in more loving ways. Generally, mothers who are well-supported in their motherhood have proven themselves to be modest in the number of children they produce. The strong valuation of each child as an individual promotes thoughtful reproduction. The value to society of large families should not be overlooked. Not every family should be large, but certain values of sharing and teamwork are best learned in large loving families. Parents who choose to dedicate themselves to raising such large families should be honored, not condemned.
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