To wonder why we have more than one child?

[whydowe]

I posted recently on a FB parenting group at the end of my tether with my two kids. I was honest that I like parenting them both apart but not together. Was pleasantly surprised by the kind responses and overwhelmingly the responses were ‘me too.’

I guess I’m wondering why we do it. I know a lot of people seem to have a second to give the first a brother / sister but have to admit that wasn’t my motivation; I really wanted another child, think I had a feeling of having missed out over covid.

Why do we want a second so much?

That might be the case overall but for a highly structured society like the UK its a big problem - as it creates an ageing society, meaning there are ever less younger taxpayers to pay an ever bigger NHS / care / pension bill etc.

Trying to offset the inadequate birth rate is one reason why the govt is so lax and permissive with the small boat people.

There is obviously some practical limit to the world population, but I do not think we are anywhere near it and our society should at least be able to sustain itself - currently it isnt doing so.

You hear conspiracy theories like "population replacement" - but this is just people arriving at the wrong answer as to why our society is changing. Our problem is inadequate birth rate. It wouldn't be that difficult to fix this - 3 kids per couple would do it (instead of just 2).

@BlueSherbet so your answer to people having too many kids in the past is for everyone to have THREE kids. Really? So the generation that come after them will also have to have three kids to sustain it? And how are you going to implement this-force everyone to have three kids?

God no, 8 billion people is far too many as it is. We need another solution. And I couldn't be happier the birth rate is dropping either!