Wheatley Assistant Director Emily Reynolds Highlights Large Families and Women Who Dare to Mother
Emily Reynolds defends the viability of traditional motherhood in contemporary America, particularly through the lens of mothers with large families. Amidst societal shifts, a divide emerges between those who disparage traditional motherhood and those embracing it. The article draws from Catherine Pakaluk's book "Hannah’s Children," which reports Phase One of the American Family and Fertility Project, a study that was a collaboration between Wheatley Institute and Professor Pakaluk. The study focused on women defying declining birth rates and having large families. Despite the challenges, mothers in the study assert the fulfillment and invaluable merit of bearing and raising children, emphasizing the importance of family and community networks---and what large families contribute to those networks. Through personal stories, this article showcases the transformative power of motherhood and the unique virtues it cultivates, providing a clear alternative to prevailing cultural narratives and highlighting the joy found in family.