The times are changing. Trends are shifting from the days when a family with 6 children was the norm. These days it is much more common to see families with 1-3 children. Consider these statistics:

In 1972, 56% of people polled thought 3 or more children was ideal. In 1998, only 39% felt the same way.

In 1972, there were 8-9 million only children. In 1995, there were 13 million only children, and in 2000 there were 16 million only children. One child families outnumber 2 child families and have more more than a decade. Over 1/5 of all families have only 1 child.

So why is the trend moving toward smaller families? We can answer that question by asking another question…why did people have large families 100 years ago?

1. Many families ran farms and children were needed as extra hands for chores and responsibilities.

2. Infant mortality was much higher.

3. People got married younger and started having children at a younger age.

4. Women stayed home and raised a family…they never even considered going out into the workforce initially, let alone after the first child was born.

Let’s ask another question. Why are more people stopping with one child today?

1. Women are having careers before getting married and/or before having children. They have fewer childbearing years and therefore fewer opportunities for children.

2. 1 out of 2 marriages end in divorce often before the second child is born.

3. 77% of women with children work. It is much easier to work with one child than 2 or more children. Women have found that they love being a mother, but they also love their job.

4. Having only 1 child allows greater financial fredeom and more opportunities for the family as a whole.