I know that I originally expressed strong feelings that I never want children, but, after taking care of my little sister for so long, my attitude is gradually loosening. I love how she follows me around everywhere, tells me that she loves me, asks me to fix her little clothing to make sure she looks pretty. She even copies me and venerates my Icons.
It kind of hit me. I really wouldn't mind having a daughter or two. It'd certainly be much better than having sons. I am not very much of a "manly" man in that I dislike sports, I'm not as high-energy as other males, I don't like cars, and I just don't feel as attached to male children (like my little brother) as I do to female children like my little sister. I'd much rather have a tea party with a daughter than have to play sports with a son. I'd much rather have to deal with a crying, overemotional teenage daughter than a testosterone driven teenage son that would potentially get into a lot of trouble.
I would love to have my own little daughters to raise, dress up, wipe their little tears as they grow up, guide them into womanhood when they mature, teach them about males and try to set an example for them through my own marriage (if I ever get married). I'd love to check on them every morning before going to work, just fixing their blankets and kissing them on the forehead, even they're older. I really want daughters badly. This is something I've been daydreaming about for a few months now.
I'd love to take them to Church with me and decide their patron Saints, St. Mary of Egypt would certainly be one (she's my favorite female Saint) I'd love to see them grow up and gradually begin to look more and more like their mother. I'd love to have them crawl up into bed with me as toddlers and fall asleep in my arms like my sister occasionally does. My sister inspires me to respect women more, and I'm sure daughters would as well. I would teach them how to be independent and drop them off at their little teenage girl gatherings. I'd try my hardest to be a good dad to them.
That being said, to you Orthodox parents out there who have/had daughters, what is/was it like raising them? What made it special? What were your experiences with them? How did you raise such beautiful little Orthodox daughters in a rather secular, sexualized society? In what ways was having daughters a different experience than having sons?
