Okay, there's been some grumblings of "No kid," and I just found myself in a discussion with somebody who feels we don't need him, so...
Here's why I want a kid in the story:
If Lois and Clark meet at the normal time, or even close too, not much has changed. If they fall in love sooner, all we get is LnC with all the hard parts taken out.
The same is true if they're married 10 years with no kid. We may get a few raised eyebrows and snarky comments, but that's the extent of it. A joint income with no kid only means that, again, all the hard parts are taken out.
Now imagine that these people married young, and either shortly before or shortly afterwards were saddled with a squirming, bouncing bundle of
bills. Medical bills, clothes, formula, toys, furniture....You know the drill. High-schoolers could likely not afford *half* of this stuff on their own (I don't see Ellen and Sam as cooperating much). Plus, just having to sit with the baby would take time away from other things, like homework and SATs.
I see Lois and Clark as having had delayed graduations, and subsequently less career success. (I'm told some employers don't like interviewees with small children, because they may need to leave work at a moment's notice to take care of the kid.) Thus, when Lois and Clark arrive at season one, episode one, they are in a significantly different standing in their careers. They may be new to the Planet, or even not hired yet.
So while the relationship part is already washed, ironed, and neatly folded, their problems competing in the workforce of the Greatest Metropolitan Newspaper are just beginning.
And, of course, there's the snarky remarks.
