Yeah, having kids is tough call.

I was reminded of a tactic used by life insurance companies, which are more successful when they show a client a photo of themselves at age 70.

I pictured myself sitting there alone, lonely, perhaps without a wife by then (a 50/50 chance). And would I be calling friends my own age? Or my kids?

Although the likelihood that I won’t get along with them as an adult… you never know; another factor is their future partners…

Well, the kids - plus my wife, who wanted kids - won out.

But everyone has their own life, the best one they can imagine, so this is definitely not some kind of persuasion—just a description of the logical process I went through back then.