I see a lot of emotional responses to this topic, so here are a few reasons why more than one child makes sense from a logic standpoint:

1. Only children get used to having all the attention of their parents. Yes, showering your child with love is of course a good thing, but only children don't have to share that attention with any other sibling. They also don't have to share toys, rooms, space in the car, or any of the other things siblings fight over. Learning to share is an important part of childhood, and children who don't get enough of the experience often (but not always) turn into spoiled adults.

2. Remember that if you choose to have only one child, if something happens to you and your partner (unless you are a single parent), then your child has to face being orphaned alone. This is a huge factor for some parents-the idea that even if they die, their child will not have to go through life alone.

3. Siblings play together. This is much more important than you might realize if you are a first-time parent. Your children will help amuse each other, the older one will read to the younger, and so on. Although the logistics of two children are harder than one-things like running errands of course take more time with multiple children-the actual day-to-day life is easier with two. No longer are you the the sole entertainment/babysitter/teach er of your young child. Plus, the older child can help with driving responsibilities when you hit the teenage years.

4. Even numbers. If you are a two-parent family, having two children rather than one will even up your numbers, making amusement park rides and travel packages easier. Have you ever noticed that travel contests always give away vacations for a family of four?

Learn more about this author, Amy Burnee.
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