Why Do Couples In Depressed Areas Has More Children?
By stevelvis
@stevelvis (394)
Philippines
September 22, 2009 8:58pm CST
In the Philippines, most family in depressed or rural areas have more number of children. Most of these families are poor, unable to provide the right amount of basic necessities for each child. But in spite of it, it has become a norm for them to have many children. Some say, "if they can survive (poor), then the average earning couple can manage having more children". Is this saying applicable to all? Why do you think couples in depressed areas want many children?
8 responses
@shajerrl (309)
• China
23 Sep 09
maybe it depends on the atitude to your life, enjoy your life or suvive your life? in developed country, the people has enough money and better social welfare fund, so they maybe don't want to have children, they want to enjoy their life and children are the excess baggage to them. but in the developing countries or third world, people is very poor, they can't see any hope to change their life on their own effort. though it need a lot of money to raise a child, but they put all their hope on their children and hope can change their life from their next generation. and then they will not need to consider a lot for survivor and they also hope have a bright future and enjoy their life. maybe this should be one of the reasons in depressed areas has more children. thanks
@stevelvis (394)
• Philippines
23 Sep 09
Do you think making babies for some poor families is intentional for the purpose of putting their hope in their children? Are there risks involved for raising many children and randomly waiting for one of them to give them hope?
@shajerrl (309)
• China
23 Sep 09
yes, maybe so, the poor families have a thinking to put their hope in their children, they hope their children have more talents than them, but as you think, this is a conflict with their family earning, if they have enough money, how can their children get a well education and get a better capability for money? so it will have a endless loop, the more children, the poorer and the more children,,,,maybe it's one of the reason for depressed countries can't easily get wealthy. it's only my immature ideas about this topic, thanks.
@mzz663 (2772)
• United States
23 Sep 09
I figure they don't know a lot about birth control or can't afford the cost of the birth control. Maybe they don't have anything else to do without having the extra money than procreate? do they get help from the government? Seems there are people here in the US that keep having many children and they don't have a lot of money but they do get help from the government here and sometimes I think it makes it too easy for them to decide that if they don't have a lot of kids, they won't get the extra help and money.
@stevelvis (394)
• Philippines
24 Sep 09
They are lucky to have a government program like that that helps the unemployed. Some people just lack responsibility of their actions-happy go lucky.
1 person likes this
@coolcat123 (4387)
• India
23 Sep 09
Since there is no education in the rural areas, people think that more children means more ways of earning money.Every member will earn money and this is how they will lead a good life.And so they send their children to work at an early age.
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
23 Sep 09
For some reason... a lot of people in depressed areas believe that their children are their only wealth... i have heard a lot of them say this... and they think that one or two of their children will be able to help them improve their lives in the future...
Aside for that... they do not know how to use contraceptives or that they are too poor to buy one...
@stevelvis (394)
• Philippines
23 Sep 09
I believe it's what other parents think, but what about the consequence of having many children when poor parents cannot focus on each one's basic needs like moral teaching, right education and communication? Would there be balance in treating each child?
@teeger39 (14)
• United States
23 Sep 09
Mostly because of lack of education in birth control. In my country the poorer the people the more children they have. Besides so much hard work they have no other entertaining activities so couples have just one left...hehehe. Another thing, these people favor boys over girls so they keep trying to have a boy and by the time they have a boy they have 5-10 girls before that.
@stevelvis (394)
• Philippines
24 Sep 09
hehe it makes sense, some couple would stop having babies until they have a boy. same what happened to me, 3 girls then came me.
@milkcow (99)
• China
23 Sep 09
I think it's because they have the time, most people nowadays don't have that, children don't just need money, they need love and commitment. Also, in the past people used to have much more children than now and these areas just haven't gotten to that stage yet.
@stevelvis (394)
• Philippines
24 Sep 09
yes it's like in our provinces. there are less opportunities. there is no electricity so they get more temptation at night :-)
@allyoftherain (7208)
• United States
23 Sep 09
It's probably lack of knowledge about or ability to afford birth control. It's common for poorer areas to have more children because of this. Not to say that poor couple shouldn't have children, but as you said... if they can survive then why not.
@stevelvis (394)
• Philippines
23 Sep 09
If poor families can survive having more children, does it always follow they can focus in the moral and emotional needs of every child?
@Henri_Clemens (47)
• Canada
24 Sep 09
there are are alot of reasons but its different for different countries. some culture fight against birth control and some just dont have access to it. some people need to have more children because they run farms and each pair of hands will eventually more than feed itself.
