Are Big Families Better?

Do you come from a large family? In the past, it was typical to find families with three or more children. However, these days, statistics show couples who have more than two children are on the decline.

Image: National Library of Ireland / Flickr

Changes in culture, healthcare and technology have led to changes in what is considered the ideal family size. Starting in the 1930s, the U.S. has seen a shift from the ideal number of children per family from an average of 3.6 to 2.6. Today, most couples would say that two children is the ideal family size.

Interestingly, in a recent study by Australia’s Edith Cowan University, researchers found that families with four or more kids were the happiest with their lives. During the five-year study, the researches sought to discover which types of families were the most content. Although it’s easy to think that larger families would mean more chaos and greater expenses, the researchers found that this was balanced by the strong, personal relationships that develop within the family. They found that the children always have someone to play with and learn independence early on.

Regardless of family size, the researchers made one thing clear, “what is important for kids are things like consistency, boundaries and [knowing] that they are loved, no matter what.”

Do you agree that people in large families are happier? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!