Watching the Anne Shirley anime with my wife and we've been discussing how interesting the show is from the point of view of "becoming parents to get help".
In 1908, when the original book was released, it was normal for people to have children so they'd get help on their farm or business, children were a ticket to retirement. And both the book and the series comment on it when we see that Anne has been adopted before, always to WORK, never to be a child.
Mathew and Marilla adopt Anne despite her not being of any "use" to them, they got her to raise her, and nothing else.
But we also discussed something else on this topic, on how after we decided to not have a second child most of the worry was "but who will play with our first child? Who will be their first friend?"
And while I have a good relationship with my sister, many people don't, and the same way having a child just to get free labor isn't good, having a child so they become playmates to their brother isn't good either.
No one should be born with the expectation of DOING something, be it work or friendship. As soon as a child is born, they are a person with the right to be who they want to be, and while parents can and should guide the child until they are old enough to walk on their on two feet (metaphorically), they shouldn't be expected to retribute being born for a purpose.
Same goes for the first child too, you shouldn't have a child expecting them to help you, or save your marriage, or because your parents/relatives/society thinks you should.
Very good anime, very good debate
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