Maggie's Farm

Mark Tapson, in the last quote in the article got it right. "Bringing little ones into this world who depend on you for everything forces you to take life seriously and to clarify your own purpose on earth. Purpose gives your life meaning, and when your life has meaning beyond the narrow and empty confines of aimless, ephemeral self-gratification, then you have a shot at real happiness.”
And, as I believe Aquinas said love is willing the good of the other as other. So, being a parent, especially to a young or helpless child, is simply loving, as properly defined.
Endlessly seeking happiness is the road to ruin, because you're never satisfied. Doing, in a spirit of love, for others is, in an apparent contradiction, more satisfying and fulfilling, than selfishly chasing endlessly after ephemeral rainbows. Just wish I'd figured that out 20-30 years ago.
I don't think anyone with fewer than 3 children should write anything about parenting, because more often than not, they have no clue. Parenting one child is like thinking you know how to fly, because you took the controls of a Cessna 172 for 10 minutes in calm air, with an instructor next to you. Parenting two children is like thinking you know how to fly because you successfully took off in a Cessna 172 on a long, wide runway, with clear calm air, in good weather, with an instructor next to you. Parenting 3 or more children is like knowing how to fly that Cessna on instruments, solo, to a safe landing, in bad weather. The point is, you learn and grow from your children. If you only have one child, you can't apply what you learned to a second child. Raising that first child gets easier, because he or she is learning responsibility by helping with the younger sibling. By, the third child, the it's much easier, because you're finally confident that you know what you're doing. Few parents today seem to know how joyful parenting can be, because they think they know what they're doing after one child or two, when it takes three or more children (we have 5--and 3 grandchildren) to really master the art.
What's missing from the discussion is this: if we as a society stop having children, we will die out. It's simple math. So, it concerns me that the article said study after study of people who really don't know what they're talking about are "proving" people are better off without children, and closed with the only person who knew what he was talking about.
Raising children is all about willing the good of the other, as other.