Those words are decidedly not what parents are hearing today. But it’s exactly what they need to hear. The future of our country depends on it. 

America is on the precipice of a demographic crisis. Over the past few decades, our birth rate has plummeted. In 2023, the U.S. birth rate fell to 1.62 births per woman, well below the replacement level of 2.1 needed to maintain a stable population. This marks a sharp decline from the 1950s, when the birth rate hovered around 3.4. While some fluctuation in birth rates is natural, the downward trend is unprecedented and deeply alarming for the future outlook of our country.

This trend is not just a matter of numbers. It’s a reflection of a society increasingly soaked in an anti-family ideology that views children as burdens rather than blessings. 

In today’s world, parents and would-be parents are bombarded with messages that devalue the idea of raising children. From TED Talks to the legacy media, the narrative being pushed is clear: Children are expensive, environmentally irresponsible, and, quite frankly, just a burden. This anti-natalist sentiment, propagated by influential voices such as Bill Gates and Bill Nye, has taken root in our culture.

The economic ramifications of the baby bust are severe. America’s entitlement system depends on a robust workforce to fund Social Security and healthcare for retirees. As birth rates fall, the workforce shrinks, leading to fewer taxpayers to sustain these essential services. In 1960, there were 5.1 working-age adults for every retiree. Today, that ratio has dropped to 2.8. Compounding this problem is the fact that retirees are living longer, which increases the financial strain on a shrinking pool of contributors.

The baby bust comes at a time when global economic competition is fiercer than ever. Younger generations have historically been the engines of innovation and entrepreneurship. A robust workforce is essential to sustaining America’s position as the world’s most productive and prosperous economy. Indeed, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that a shrinking labor force will play a role in dampening U.S. economic growth over the next decade. 

However, this problem extends far beyond economics. The choice not to bring new life into the world strikes at the heart of our cultural, societal, and moral fabric. A society that fails to value children is one that risks losing its sense of purpose, continuity, and responsibility. 

Children are the bearers of our values, traditions, and aspirations. Without them, we risk losing our shared sense of identity and direction as a nation.

While government policies can help address the crisis, they certainly cannot solve it alone. This is a problem that touches something much deeper within us. We, as a society, need a profound shift in how we view children. They are not burdens. They are blessings. 

This belief is the ethos behind EveryLife, a company I started with other parents who are committed to celebrating and supporting every miraculous life. Unlike major diaper brands that simultaneously sell baby products while promoting abortion and anti-family ideologies, EveryLife stands firm in the belief that every child is a gift from God to be cherished.

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That is why I am so passionate about this topic. Our cultural framework must change. We must reject the anti-family, anti-life, and anti-human ideologies that have overtaken our institutions. As a nation, we must heed the words of thought leaders such as Elon Musk who remind us that “having children is saving the world.” 

Children teach us about love, hope, and excitement for the future. They are the foundation of a thriving society, and we must cherish them if we are to overcome the demographic challenges we face.

Sarah Gabel Seifert is the co-founder and president of EveryLife.