Why is it that in books, and movies a family consists of two children, commonly a boy and a girl? If there is a third it is a perpetual baby. Most people I know have three children. (Not just LDS.) I can understand that it is easier to keep track of fewer characters and you can care about them more easily. However, part of what makes Pride and Prejudice so fun is that there isn't just Jane and Lizzie. On the flip side, Taming of the Shrew would be different with more than the two sisters. Maybe because of this dynamic in media "society" feels guilty when they have more children than what they perceive as the norm. (This is obviously my opinion.) Why do people give so much power to the entertainment industry?I have been reading books set in the late 1800's to early 1900's. These women had child after child and were sad if they were blessed with only four, or even two. I think that part of that was the death toll. If you had more children it was more likely that some would live longer than you, but still not a guarantee. Still, what changed? I am not condemning people for having small families, that is their choice. But, family size is a choice that should be left up to the people. Not dictated by society. You should have as many children as you feel you can take care of. (There is a difference between "take care of" and "want" by the way.) Why is it so hard to raise a large family now? Why can't you afford it now? Why do people look at you askance when you bring a group of children somewhere? "Are you Mormon or Catholic?" "You are so selfish adding more to the already overpopulated earth." "You are a drain on OUR resources." "Having too many children is not very 'green' of you." Oh, I am green, but I prefer red. Any thoughts?
