Application to procreate

** PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT - RANT INCOMING - READ AT YOUR OWN RISK! ** 

Every now and then...no, more often than I care for...I get reminded of the idea I have that there should be a mandatory application process in place for an individual to procreate.  There simply are too many incompetent, ill-prepared, or simply stupid people having and then trying (and more often than not failing) to raise children in society today.  And who suffers?  First of course are the kids.  Innocent of their parents ineptitude or lack of basic skills and emotions that are inherent to even simplest animals, they get put into positions and situations they don't deserve.  Then, long after that, we all suffer because these kids grow into the same type of adults who then repeat history all over again, and worse yet become the society we will rely on as we age.  It's really a sad, sad state of affairs when you think of it, and I only take solace in knowing that at least I can do what I can to make sure my kids grow, mature, and live to the best they can, in the best manner they can.

So what spawned his rant, eh?  Check this piece of utter stupidity.  All states have what are called Safe Haven Laws, put in place to allow mothers who are not fit or capable of caring for a newborn to surrender it at a local hospital or fire station.  The child then goes into state care, leading to foster care.  Now while I know that system is far less than ideal, I support this type of initiative because its a better option than leaving the child with someone who can't - or won't - care for it.  HOWEVER, the brilliant lawmakers of Nebraska passed the law without any stipulation of the age a child can be surrendered at!  So now you have teenagers being tossed aside by parents who get to a point, throw up their hands, and say "That's it, fuck it, I'm done".  Those asshats need a smack with a 4x4 IMHO.  When you decide to have and raise a child, it's a lifelong commitment, and should not be open to negotiation down the road just because it gets hard.  How the hell are you going to convince a 15 year old kid that it's not his or her fault that mom and dad, or whomever is their caregiver, just doesn't want to deal with them anymore???  If they didn't have mental/social issues before that, they sure as hell will afterwards. 

/me takes a deep breath.  Sorry for the rant, but when the level of idoicity gets to a level like this, I just can't help but comment.  Agree, disagree...your prerogative.  I just can't get my arms around the idea of letting any of my kids go, no matter how bad it were to ever get.