Hear it here: Americans want more kids

This week I spoke with Morning Air’s John Morales about the recent Gallup poll showing Americans are increasingly idealizing large families, despite our national birth rate remaining low. You can listen to the audio here, starting at 32:58.

As I shared there, despite reality not matching the ideal, it’s still a hopeful sign that Americans are viewing having 3+ children as a positive thing. I believe it is driven by many factors, including the incredible isolation of the past few years throwing into great relief the need for relationships, starting with family.

So what does it take to make the ideal match the reality? As always, it takes a culture of life. Steep hill, I know. But in the meantime Catholics can at least live their own family lives in a way that is functional, positive, and life-giving. I make the comment in the interview that Catholics should involve their kids in all aspects of their public lives, including bringing them to church. Similarly, you may sometimes hear the unrestrained, joyful or otherwise, sounds of children at Mass, or even of a person with intellectual disabilities. They belong to a family, and they have a right to be there, or a restaurant, or wherever. Act like it! And in the meantime, pray the economy improves so it ain’t so hard to have kids (among other things).

Here’s that interview. Enjoy!