Are you still having more children in this modern age? Have you consid- ered the cost of education and the cost of raising them to school level?
Yes! The saying goes: “The God that brought a child will also bring what it will take to raise him up.” You may ask, “If I have many children, is it our business? Are you going to help me raise them up?”
In the olden days, the joy of having many children knew no bound. Having large children was an object of parents’ pride while hav- ing few children or none at all brought shame and humilia- tion,andimpliedmisfortune to a couple.
In an agricultural econ- omy, children were cheap labour. In an industrial econ- omy, children are a liability. They made farming very easy since agricultural technology was either available or was not given attention. Children then were made to concen- trate on farming rather than schooling.
Today, things are no long- er the same. Cost of living is high as the economy be- comes harsher.
Experts say having few children – two or three and giving them adequate at- tention and quality educa- tion is better. In this 21st century, the intelligent young couples are making conscious choices about when and how many chil- dren to have in their fam- ily. They focus all of their energy and resources into those few children with the reasonable assumption that their children will out- live them.
Jegede Olugbenga, a pub- lisher and father of three, spends 60percent of the fund available for his family man- agement on education of his children. 20percent went to feeding and 20percent for maintenance of his cars, health, feeding and others.
To him, an additional child would make the ex- penseoneducation80per- cent and this reduces feed- ing to 10percent which he says is inadequate. “An ad- ditional child will require the purchase of an SUV for fam- ily transport as the present car can only accommodate two adults and three chil- dren conveniently.
“Achildinprimaryschool requires a minimum of 30 minutes daily for assistance in school homework and 15 minutes for other one on one contact. A father who returns home at 8pm will be ready forbedat10pmifhehasto face the traffic by 6am the next day. There is no time for the fourth child,” he explains.
Experts say raising a child isveryexpensive.Insomany families today, both parents must work in order to meet up with family needs. With both parents working, there is less time to spend with the children.
A medical expert based in Lagos sees economic prob- lems as a major constraint to having large children.
To him, having less chil-
dren has some benefits to both the parents and the children. The benefit it has for parents is that they spend less than when they are many. On the side of children, they have quality education. If you have two children to care for, it is not the same as caring for 10 children.Inaddition,the parents will have their lives to live because if you spend 90 percent of what you earn on your children without having your own, when you retire, you will not have anything because you have spent all you have on chil- dren.
