Principles of Marriage and Family Ethics

(Chris Devlin) #1

arenothigh.Therefore,itisbetterthatcouplesdecideonthenumberof
childrenaccordingtotheirmoralandfinancialabilities.Theymusthave
understandingandbcabletosolvetheirproblemsthroughwisdomand
kindness.Itisnotcorrectforeitherofthemtoinsistonsomethingillogic-
al.Thisproblemisnotsoseriousandshouldnotleadacouple 10 have
quarrels or resort to a divorce.


Therearcmanyfamilieswho eitherhavemanychildren orarcsatis-
fiedwithonlyoneortwo.Somecoupleshavedifferencesaboutthe sex
oftheirproposedchildren.Somecouplesmenandwomenpreferhaving
asonanddonottaketookindlytohavinggirls.Thebirthofadaughter
wouldmakeawomanfeelguiltyandthereforeshewouldkeepsilence
becauseshewastheonewhohasgivenbirth.Butthemanmightexpress
hisdissatisfaction.Menaredifferent.Somedonotexpresstheirdissatis-
factionopenlyandjustshowagrimface.Theydonotparticularlyattend
to their wives during the post-natal days. They look sad. Some men,
however,reactseverelytothenewsofhavingadaughter.Theybecome
angrywit htheirwivesandpickupfaultwith them.Theyprotest and
createarow.Somemengofurtherandmightevenbeatthemuporeven
divorce them.


'Awomansaidinthecourt:'Igotmarriedfifteenmonthsagoandbe-
came pregnant six months later. Recently, when the time for delivery
wasnear,myhusbandsaidtomethatIhadtogivebirthtoason.ButI
feltthatImighthavetwinsoreventriplets.AfewdaysagoIgavebirth
to twin girls. I was very happy about it. When my husband came to
know about the birth, he wasupset and left the room. Later, when I
askedhimtotakethegirl’shome,heshoutedatmeandblamedforde-
liveringtwin girls.Heaskedme toleave him,soIwent tomyparents
and now I am applying for a divorce'.


''Mrs..,saidtoareporterinthecourt:'Aftertwenty-oneyearsofmar-
riageandhavingfivechildren.Ihavetoleavealife,alifetowhichIcon-
tributedsomuch,foranotherwoman, andwomanwhois ableto give
birthtoaboy.Ihavefive beautifulandtalenteddaughterswhoare no
problemtotheirfatheratall.WhatismyguiltifIcannotgivebirthto)a
boy.Myhusbandisblamingmeforitandwantsmetoallowhimtore-
marry with another woman'.''

Free download pdf