According to the Pew Research Center, the percentage of Americans who consider children to be “very important for a successful marriage” has dropped to 41 percent, down from 65 percent since 1990. Satisfying sex (70 percent), sharing household chores (62 percent) and good housing (51 percent) all outranked parenthood on the marriage meter.

As the parents of two and the grandparents of six, we are clearly way out of step with this social trend. So was Phil Kaiser.

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