Smaller families- good or bad?

There are many trends we can see throughout the world. So much changes over time, history repeats itself, or some things stay the same.  We recognize some trends through what phones are popular, the new man bun hairstyle, the return of ripped jeans, rise and fall of the stock market, and changes in the family.

What trends are positive or negative is up for opinionated debate; however, research is expressing the negative effects of what has happened to family and mentality towards family and having children.

I recognize that there are couples who desire to have more children, but due to medical or financial  circumstances cannot. Please understand this article is not targeting them, it is only expressing the general society's views about having fewer children for frivolous reasons or for fear that can be put to peace. Please keep this in mind as you continue to read.

After World War II ended, and the soldiers were sent back home to their wives, fertility rate increased worldwide. It reached a national high in the United States. This national peak in the fertility rate, or how many children a woman has in her lifetime on average, only reached a little over three children. This generation of newborns were labeled Baby Boomers.

In response to what seemed to be a dramatic increase in population size, The Population Bomb instilled worry about what would happen to resources and the environment if fertility rate only continued to increase. Written by Dr. Ehrlich and published in 1960, the book relied on Benjamin Franklin’s conclusion that population size doubles about every 20 years. Dr. Ehrlich also traveled and observed people in the slums of India. With what he saw and experienced in mind, along with the peak of about 20 years previous with the baby boom, he made some predictions:

1.     Such a large population size would kill the environment because of so much pollution.

2.     Resources would run out.

3.     Millions of people would die from mass starvation.  

These fears may be realized without proper precautions, policy, and thoughtful decisions. However, this book greatly influenced societies trends concerning family. Ever since, we have seen a decline in fertility rate.

In order for there to be repopulation, and enough people to fill our shoes in the future, the fertility rate needs to be about 2.1. If it is lower than this number, then the population will decrease in the long run. There will be more elderly than there are young people.

Japan is a very obvious example of this.

This country was the only one that did not have an increase in the average amount of how many children a woman had in her lifetime after World War II. In fact, their birth rate only decreased from its original state. With previous generations passing away, and fewer children to fill their shoes, there are not as many people in the work force able to support the elderly and meet their needs.

Without human capital, or the productivity of people in the work force, the economy will also begin to decline. Not only will it affect a nation’s ability to provide for senior citizens, but another example would be the housing market.

Baby boomers, who were able to increase their finances and purchase larger homes, are now downsizing and having to leave those houses behind. Too few are buying them. Not only are those homes too expensive, families are opting to purchase smaller homes because the size of their families are small.

Returning to people’s perspectives on family size, some are choosing to have as few children as possible. As of 2016, the fertility rate in the United States is 1.8. A fertility rate this low, or lower, is seen across the world. It is not high enough to repopulate. 

Not only does having smaller families not actually help the environment or support the economy, it also leads to having fewer people to truly rely on. Blood is thicker than water. In most cases, having relatives to turn to helps to keep loneliness and depression at bay. 

Having only one child means their child/children will not have any aunts, uncles, or cousins on that side of the family. What's the purpose of having family reunions if there is no family to have a reunion with? Without the loyalty of family, people can become lost in this world.

There are many things that we can do to help promote an increase of children, not only to help the economy, but to also provide more caretakers of our earth and home, and people to make a difference in their homes, communities, and the world. Some possible solutions are to promote the family include expressing love about our own families and to help children and teenagers to learn social skills that lead to marriage.

I am grateful for my parents’ decision to have one more child. I have three older siblings and ended up being their last. I am so glad to have such a reliable support system as my parents, siblings, and some extended family. We are so intertwined and have become united to support each other.

What are your thoughts about family? Have you recognized any trends mentioned in this post or others? What do you think the impact will be down the line on society and individuals?

Thanks for reading!