Who Has The Right To Decide How Many Children You Should Have

I do not think anyone has the right to make that decision alone. When a married couple decides to have or not have kids it should be a decision made by both. Both husband and wife will be supporting and raising that child so both should have a say. IF one does not want to have a child it should be held off until both can come to a decision that is good for the couple. If you bring a child into life with one parent wanting it and the other not it could effect the child.

This is something that need to be discussed together. I would never do that to my husband. I think that making the decision on your own would put a huge strain on the marriage and maybe even end it. If he does not want another child, he must have a good reason.

I think that if you are to remain a couple, the person who doesn't want more children gets to have their way. There are other ways to enjoy the company of children besides having more of your own. Getting pregnant in defiance of the spouses wishes is a huge mistake and will most certainly end the marriage. Then the poor fellow is still saddled with child support. It is unacceptable to change another's life this way. The woman who doesn't want more children should make sure to get her tubes tied right after the birth of the last child she plans on having. As I said before, there are other ways to enjoy having children about. Since the male cannot get pregnant he should exercise another option.

I think that this would be a hard one to get through because when it comes to children ultimately it takes the decision of two to decide in the end as it takes two in order to make that special little one. I think that the best thing to do would be for the married couple to sit down and have a serious discussion on the matter. They need to sit down and find out why the other does not want a baby and why the other does and decide in the end as man and wife rather than in an over ruling way! In the end the out come should be the descion of the two of rather than seperate as this will only leave the problem linger.

I'm not a psychiatrist or psyhologist. But when I went to the bookstore one dsy, I found an interesting book in the relationship section, called "I Want a Baby, He Doesn't: How Both Partners Can Make the Right Decision At the Same Time" by Donna J. Wade You can read a sample from the book here and buy it on amazon---- http://tinyurl.com/2atyjr This book has some great advice. I suggest you stop talking about children to your husband for awhile. Men can get irritated and distance themselves because women like to talk. Wait until you finish reading the book, so you know how to talk about and bring up the subject to your husband. I hope my advice helps.

That's tough because it should be a joint effort and a joint decision yet there are couples out there who don't come together on the topic. From a woman's perspective I say it's the female's decision because it's her load to carry and it's her body she is putting through such extreme conditions. But if the man wants another child he has every right to plead his case because he may honestly feel if he could carry the child he would but he can't so he asks his wife or significant other to do so.

This is a question that you two have to sit down and have a talk about and work things out together. You both have to agree on whether to have another child or not, otherwise I think having another child without the other persons consent would be wrong and could hurt your relationship as well as the children you have or may have. A person should not get pregnant if the husband does not want another child. If the husband wants another child but the woman does not, then I think it is the womans decision since the woman is the one that carries and delivers the child.

Havind children these days is more a question of economic than anything else. Love does not pay the bills. In Australia... we have worked out that if you put your child through private school... it will cost you one million dollars to raise a child up to the age of 18. Do you have a million dollars to spare... Does your husband has a million dollars to spare... If he does... should he not be entitle to decide if he wants to spend a million on a child that he does not really want... and what about the child... will he have to pay the price for your selfishness... As for the wife... she does not have to have a second child if she does not want to either. Having a child is about two people forming an union. You do not have a child by yourself. The child needs a mother and a father who loves it equally and wants to have it equally. If you want a child by yourself... you should get a divorce first. You'll probably get one anyway if you go ahead with your plan.

I think that this is something that a husband and wife need to work out themselves. Also if you are meaning who should have the final word. It should be the dh because the husband is supposed to be the head of the family, in my opinion. But if it comes to using birth control I just would not use it because it can and does cause health problems.

i think it must be compromized between the husband and wife. many factors could be reasons. financial for example. are this family could effort another child? everything must be compromized

That's a tough question. A similar situation was in my parents' family more than 30 years ago. My elder brother was about one year old when my mother got to know she was pregnant with me. Unfortunately my father was against keeping the baby. He didn't actually insist on abortion, but he let my mother know it wasn't the right time for the second child. I'm sure he was sorry about his words later, when I was born. But at that time it was very painful for my Mom. She would never have an abortion. So it was her decision only to have the second child, that is me. I'm sure I would do the same if I were in her shoes.

TOUGH CHOICE..any relation especially marriage is based on trust and compromise and adjustments..of course each partner can ask..why should it be ME always who is compromising? whether to go in for a second child should be a mutually agreed decision..if one partner feels it should not happen, then both should sit across the table and discuss it out..communication is the only way that this problem can be worked around..both the pros and cons should be weighed before taking a decision..of course one of the partners will have to move a step backword, but if it is for the common god, then this is one argument worth losing!

It's a couples decision!!! You two both need to agree if you two both want to have a baby.

Ideally, this should not be question of "individual rights" but a matter of "collective decision". Both the husband and wife should sit and talk it out. If the wife does not want a kid, why she does not want? If the husband wants a kid, why does he want it? If her career concerns or concerns about additional baby care worry her, is the man willing to support her? Poor man where will he go if he wants another kid of his own if his wife denies him? (Many persons would prefer to have at least one child of each gender; so naturally this might be the motive for a man/woman to prefer a second child; it is another matter whether their desire will turn into reality!). If I were the wife in this situation, I would try to honour the wishes of the partner. If I were the husband of this situation, I would try to convince my partner into having just one more kid and promise all support in the child rearing process. However, if the partner is too adamant about not having the child, it makes no sense to force the partner to have one because, a child should be born out of mutual love and common expectation of the couple. Otherwise, the future of the child born in such a discordant family will become a big question mark and this situation will negate the very purpose of wanting another child!

you both actually becasue it's you both that's going to spend your life to take good care of the kid. your going to be the one to support it so talk it over. talk about what would happen if you'll have another baby. if i were the wife, i'll talk to my husband seriously and say why i want a second baby.

i think it all up to the couple for them to work it out. a lot of people say its the wife to decide, well it is to but the couple need to work it out before it happens otherwise a lot of stress on relationship could cause a split

I think this matter should be dealt with by both the husband and wife. When it comes to family thing, decisions should always be mutual. If this is the case, then both partners should site their reason for not wanting /wanting to have another baby. And be sure that when both partners talk, they should have an open mind to accept whatever possibilities will arise after the talk. Both partners should both be happy with the decision.

It should be the decison of both husband and wife. They should both respect one another and their decision about it. They should talk it out and settle on a compromise. Until they reach a settlement or an agreement then that's the time they only should decide what the next step should be. No one should be forced to go into something that they refuse to do. If they love each other then I believe it would be easy for them to reach a decison where they both agree.

The decision must be from both partners. Pregnancy and having children is hard enough without the added issue on these matters. If I were the wife, I would want to know my husband's reasons, and weigh them against mine. I will try to let him see my point of view. If his reasons are really more sound, then I could convince myself to agree. But if my concerns are serious like if it involves my health or possibly of the baby, then I will point out htings to him convincingly.

Both parties have to agree. I think this is also something that should maybe even be talked about before marriage so both parties are on the same side. If the wife wants two children but the husband only wants one then I think the wife should respect that. Who is going to financially support that second child? If the wife stays home with the kids obviously the husband will and that may mean him working more overtime or working longer past retirement. This would also put him away from the home more. The wife definitely should not go ahead and do something to have a second child. That would lead the guy to suspicions and then it may lead to a divorce. The judge will then see what happened and most likely give the already born child to the dad. It will then lead in huge amounts of disputes between the two parties. I want two children in life and that is actually something I talk about with my girlfriends early on to see what they want. If they want 5 kids, then it's a c-ya lata. Same applies if they don't want any kids at all. I'll bend a little and allow 1 or 3 kids, but that would be my limit. Now, if something happened that either my wife or I couldn't have kids and we didn't know that before. I'd respect that and then see if she wants to look into adopting. I definitely would not end it for a medical reason.