18 June 2012 - childrearing 3

Why are parents so fearful for their children now? It used to be thought that kids were physically and emotionally robust, and today they’re seen as fragile. Well, it’s economics: Kids traditionally worked, producing more than they cost, so pop out as many as you can and let them fend for themselves. Today, kids are a tremendous expense, so keep the number down (the demographic transition) and go for the gold plating. The actions come first, theory follows.