Join the Debate: Sons or Daughters?

Wouldyouliketohaveadaughterorason?Whatwouldbeyourreasonsforpreferringonesexoveranother?Thinkaboutitandhopaboardtoshareyourviews.Askanurban,educatedprofessionalparent-to-bewhetherhewantsaboyoragirl.Patcomesthereply-"Agirl!"Thereseemstobeashiftinourattitudestowardsthegirlchild,atleastamongsttheeducatedelite.Whileaboywasthepreferredchildafewgenerationsago,parentsthesedayslongfortheloveandcaringadaughtershowersthemwith.InthisarticleMoneyLoveMoneyTherewasatimewhenparentswouldwantsonsastheywantedsomeonetolookafterandsupportthemintheiroldage.Butthesedays,professionalsearnwell,andmakeitapointtoplanfortheirretirement,sotheyarenotdependentontheirchildrenforfinancialsupport.Emotionalloveandsupportofcoursecanbeprovidedbyeithersonordaughter.Sonsanddaughterscanbothearnverywell,anditisgettingincreasinglycommonforthewifetomakemoremoneythanherhusband.Ofcourse,thereasonwedontseeevenmoreofthisisbecauseawifewhoisdoingwellinhercareeroftenhastheoptiontomarrysomeonewhoisdoingevenbetterthansheis!LoveAfewgenerationsago,parentswouldnteatinthehomesoftheirdaughtersandwouldmakeitapointtoshelloutafewrupeesiftheyhadsomuchasasipintheirdaughtershome.Thankfully,suchtraditionsareslowlychanging,andwhilemanyparentsofmarrieddaughtersstilladheretothis,chancesofthistraditioncontinuingdecreaseswitheachgeneration.Moreandmoredaughtersaresupportingtheirparentsintheiroldage,andeverynowandagainwehearofoldcoupleslivingintheirdaughtershome.Thisleadstoahappyoldage,astheypasstheirtimewithgrandchildren,alovingdaughterandanon-interferingson-in-law,andarefarhappierandlessbitterthanthoselivingamongstconstantfrictionwithdaughters-in-law.(Needlesstosay,thisisntalwaysthecase.)Livingwithdaughtersisawelcomechange,andifweseemoreofthisinthefuture,perhapstheageofacrimoniousfamilytieswillgraduallywaneasclashesbetweendaughters-in-lawandmothers-in-lawreduce,andeveryonewillbehappier.Unfortunatelytheeducated,broadmindedprofessionalisstillinaminorityinIndia,althoughthisshouldchangeinthefutureassmallbusinesshousesgraduallydiedownandtheageoflargemultinationalsdawns.Asaparent,whatwouldyouratherhave?Wouldyoupreferasonoradaughter?Ideally,youdliketohaveoneofeach,butgivenachoiceofoptingforjustonesex,whichonewoulditbe?Andwhy?Orperhapssexdoesntmattertoyou.Thinkaboutit,andshareyourthoughts.

Would you like to have a daughter or a son? What would be your reasons for preferring one sex over another? Think about it and hop aboard to share your views. Ask an urban, educated professional parent-to-be whether he wants a boy or a girl. Pat comes the reply - "A girl!" There seems to be a shift in our attitudes towards the girl child, at least amongst the educated elite. While a boy was the preferred child a few generations ago, parents these days long for the love and caring a daughter showers them with.

Money

There was a time when parents would want sons as they wanted someone to look after and support them in their old age. But these days, professionals earn well, and make it a point to plan for their retirement, so they are not dependent on their children for financial support. Emotional love and support of course can be provided by either son or daughter. Sons and daughters can both earn very well, and it is getting increasingly common for the wife to make more money than her husband. Of course, the reason we don't see even more of this is because a wife who is doing well in her career often has the option to marry someone who is doing even better than she is!

Love

A few generations ago, parents wouldn't eat in the homes of their daughters and would make it a point to shell out a few rupees if they had so much as a sip in their daughters home. Thankfully, such traditions are slowly changing, and while many parents of married daughters still adhere to this, chances of this tradition continuing decreases with each generation. More and more daughters are supporting their parents in their old age, and every now and again we hear of old couples living in their daughters home. This leads to a happy old age, as they pass their time with grand children, a loving daughter and a non-interfering son-in-law, and are far happier and less bitter than those living amongst constant friction with daughters-in-law. (Needless to say, this isn't always the case.) Living with daughters is a welcome change, and if we see more of this in the future, perhaps the age of acrimonious family ties will gradually wane as clashes between daughters-in-law and mothers-in-law reduce, and everyone will be happier. Unfortunately the educated, broadminded professional is still in a minority in India, although this should change in the future as small business houses gradually die down and the age of large multinationals dawns. As a parent, what would you rather have? Would you prefer a son or a daughter? Ideally, you'd like to have one of each, but given a choice of opting for just one sex, which one would it be? And why? Or perhaps sex doesn't matter to you. Think about it, and share your thoughts.