from having more than one child. According the Washington Post (September 15, 2007), rich Chinese ignoring these laws have been subject to severe measures, including high fines and the possibility of damaged credit ratings.

A Seattle Post-Intelligencer article (October 2, 2007) tells of American scientists who are hoping to create a new form of male birth control that would give men an option besides a vasectomy or a condom. Although most surveyed men said that they would use a new contraceptive, the science isn't ready for "public consumption" yet.

To make more of an impact and institute more action than rhetoric, a government may communicate to the citizens on a more personal level. For instance, the United States Office of Population Affairs (OPA) is home to "Title X," a federal grant program devoted only to family planning. Title X supports health clinic personnel training, research, and outreach education, among other family-friendly concepts.

In some societies, however, the government may not provide such options to the constituency. Many feel that a country's government making such private decisions as family size, or whether or not to produce children is either morally wrong or lands too close to the "Big Brother" socialist idea.

== Individual Decision ==

Since it is normally not in a government's jurisdiction to enforce family planning laws (China seems to be the exception), it is then the responsibility of the "non-parents" to help alleviate overpopulation, but thinking globally will inspire only so far.

If you've not yet had children, consider how having and raising a child would affect you personally; weigh the pros and cons of child rearing and be sure that you are leading a stable life before following society's assumption that you should put another person on Earth.

== Child Cost ==

The cost of raising a child gets more expensive every year, but will still vary, depending mainly on:

- How many you have (most parents tend to spend more on an only child, but less on each child if they have two or more)

- Your income bracket/where you live (your local economy and your salary both help define how much you spend on family budget items like housing, food, clothing, transportation, health care, child care, and education)

- The kids' ages. Compare the expected school year expenses (music lessons, prom attire, sports uniforms) with those of the infant and toddler years (toys and batteries, formula, strollers, baby furniture, diapers!) for

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