How many children make parents happiest?

Bryan Caplan is an American economist and a father who is very interested in children's education. When asked "Is there an ideal number of children for parents to be happiest?", he answered in the way an economist would, "The optimal number depends on your preferences."

And Bryan's favorite number is four. In the bookSelfish reasons to have more childrenBryan says the time and money parents spend trying to help their kids succeed, burdening them with burdens and sending them to private schools, doesn’t really contribute much to their future income or happiness. In other words, many parents make raising their kids unnecessarily complicated, so he says it’s time to rethink your approach to raising kids. And then, if you can afford it, consider having another child.

"There's no formula that got me to four. It's just based on human nature, how much people like children versus unnecessary suffering," he said, doubting that more than four would make him any happier.

Several studies have identified a number of children that maximize parents' happiness. A 2005 study found that having a second or third child did not make parents happier. "If you want to maximize your health, you should stop at one child," the study's authors said.Psychology Today.A recent study from Europe found that two children are best. Having more children does not bring parents more joy.

Some aspects of society are also designed to best accommodate families of a certain size. For example, a standard car can comfortably accommodate four people. If more people are needed, they must book a different car, a different hotel room. According to surveys by consulting and analytics firmGallup, nearly half of Americans consider two to be the ideal number of children. Across Europe, two children are also the preferred choice.

Sociologist and demographer Ashley Larsen Gibby, PhD, from the University of Pennsylvania, notes that two children may be optimal in places where two is considered the norm. “However, if the norm changes, I think the answer to your question will change,” Ashley says.

The ideal of having two children is a big change from a half-century ago. In 1957, just 20 percent of Americans said the ideal family had two or fewer children, while 71 percent said three or fewer. The economy seems to have played a role in the change. Historian Steven Mintz of the University of Texas at Austin says that the ideal during theBaby Boomeris three, four or five children.

“That number has plummeted as the cost of raising children has increased and as more women enter the workforce, they feel increasingly frustrated at being turned into baby-making machines,” says Steven.

At the same time, having only one child means parents miss out on having at least one boy and one girl—a pattern that has been popular this century. Perhaps this is another reason why two is the popular number.

But many people want more or less than two children. In general, experts agree that the optimal number of children depends on each family's desires and constraints. "When a couple likes and can afford to raise children, has a lot of support, and has a good income, having a large family is the best option. When they have fewer resources, having a small family is better," says Brad Wilcox, director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia.

Perhaps the most meaningful difference is not going from one to two children, or two to three children, but from zero to having one child and becoming a parent.

Kei Nomaguchi, a sociologist at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, said having only one child changes many aspects of an adult's life. "If you want to enjoy life, cherish your intimate relationship with your partner, and devote time to your career, then not having children is the best thing," Kei shared.

Of course, mothers lose more than fathers when they have children. Childbirth is more stressful for women than for men, and careers are affected. In this respect, zero is also good.

A recent paper suggests that becoming a parent actually makes people happier, as long as they can afford it. And a 2014 study found that parenting is less positive for young couples with young children and more positive and happy as the children grow older.

Indeed, economist Bryan Caplan believes that when people think about having children, they tend to focus on the early years of parenting—the stress and lack of sleep—and underestimate what family life will be like when their children are 25 or 50. Many worry about the day they won’t be happy without grandchildren.

“There is one thing you can do right now to reduce that risk, and that is to have more children,” said the father of four.