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Does anyone feel that the state of the economy in the last year or two has affected how many children people are having?
Also, do you think that at any point, people may begin to be concerned with overpopulation, and stop having more than 2 children? Meaning, do you think concerns for the world around them would ever override their desire for more than 2 children? (not talking about adoption of course)
Thanks for input.
Libido, lack of planning, claiming "a child is a gift from god," all affect how many children people have. The old addage, "The rich get richer and the poor have kids" seem to have a ring of truth to it.
Thanks for all the replies.
I did not realize religion had that much control over how many children people have. The only religion I know of where families tend to be large is Mormon, and I don't know why that is. What other religions affect it?
Also, why do poor people tend to have more children? My republican friend would say "in order to live off the gov't", but I don't really want to believe that. I could see having a lot of kids if you are a farmer and need helping hands.
One important factor I think is your own experience growing up. If you had siblings, and an enjoyable childhood, you will want children because you want to duplicate those good times. I am an only child and don't see any point in duplicating all my issues.
Thanks for all the replies.
I did not realize religion had that much control over how many children people have. The only religion I know of where families tend to be large is Mormon, and I don't know why that is. What other religions affect it?
Also, why do poor people tend to have more children? My republican friend would say "in order to live off the gov't", but I don't really want to believe that. I could see having a lot of kids if you are a farmer and need helping hands.
One important factor I think is your own experience growing up. If you had siblings, and an enjoyable childhood, you will want children because you want to duplicate those good times. I am an only child and don't see any point in duplicating all my issues.
At one time the Catholics were also into having a lot of kids. I don't know if it is still the case, but around here the average Catholic family has at least 4 kids. Another religion that I know that litterally breed like rabbits is Apostolic Lutherns. We have quite a few around here. In their religion the women usually marry around 16 and never finish high school. The guys are only allowed to get into a trades jobs, like electrician, plumber, or builder. They are supposed to have as many kids as humanly possible. The average family size is 10 kids.(all from one mother) Some have more, like for example one of my old neighbors had 19 that lived. Some have less, but only because of medical reasons. Most of the kids are 11 months apart.
I think that the reason that poor people have more children than rich people, is that they do not have a "career" that takes up all of their lives like lawyers, doctors, and company execs. I think that when people choose to have a career they choose not to have a family, or at least not a large one because a family would interfere with their work. There are quite a few wealthier families where a nanny or a daycare does most of the raising of the children as the parents are to busy to raise them on their own.
It is possible that the number of siblings a person had growing up affects how many kids a person has. But in my case it didn't. I only had one sibling growing up and there is 13 years between us. I have 5 kids. I also know a few people who came from larger families (6-8 kids) and they only have 2-3 kids themselves where on the same token I know some who were only children and have 4-5.
I did not know that about Apostolic Lutherans. Interesting. I never thought of catholics as "being into" having a lot of kids. It is (or was) more because they don't believe in birth control. With mormons I think it is more "being into" having lots. I think they are supposed to have their own kingdom in heaven, or something, so they populate it here on earth.
I did not know that about Apostolic Lutherans. Interesting. I never thought of catholics as "being into" having a lot of kids. It is (or was) more because they don't believe in birth control. With mormons I think it is more "being into" having lots. I think they are supposed to have their own kingdom in heaven, or something, so they populate it here on earth.
Maybe that is why instead of "being into" having a lot of kids. I just know that a lot of families seemed rather large, at least when I was growing up. I think that now even though they don't believe in BC, some still use it, at least more than you would think so their families are not as large. I have noticed that more and more are not as devout as they used to be.
Maybe that is why instead of "being into" having a lot of kids. I just know that a lot of families seemed rather large, at least when I was growing up. I think that now even though they don't believe in BC, some still use it, at least more than you would think so their families are not as large. I have noticed that more and more are not as devout as they used to be.
I don't know of any Catholic families with a large number of kids these days. I don't ask about their family planning, but I'd bet they use some sort of birth control.
There is a subgroup of evangelical Christians who do not prevent conception at all, and they are known as "quiverfull." It's not any one denomination... I think it can be people of any denomination who are convicted to eschew any type of birth control or family planning:
I don't know of any Catholic families with a large number of kids these days. I don't ask about their family planning, but I'd bet they use some sort of birth control.
I'm Catholic and we have 4 kids. There are non-invasive methods of birth control that the church approves of. Many families use those.
Your right. That is not ALL that I do. But that IS what the method is called. And part of it is knowing when to "test" and by knowing your cycles. I'm not about to get into the whole thing on some forum.
Thank you but I've been doing it for YEARS and it does work for me
Usually when people start boasting about how great their method of birth control is, they find out another baby is on the way. Don't jinx things.
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Don't jinx things.
