Americans are having fewer kids than in previous generations, with the average number of children people ages 20 to 39 plan to have dropping from 2.3 in 2012 to 1.8 in 2023. Some of the main reasons people are having fewer children is that they’re expensive, and parents are having them later in life. Both factors make it harder to grow their families.

Even though people are having fewer children, in 2023, 44% of U.S. adults said that having two kids is best, and 45% said three or more is ideal. Interestingly, an overwhelming number of people didn’t think that being a one-and-done family is the best option for having children. Many feel that only children are lonely and can become entitled because they don’t have to share their parents’ attention and resources with siblings.

Debunking only child stereotypes

These stereotypes aren’t new. Early psychological research from 1896 said that children without siblings are “jealous, selfish, egotistical, dependent, aggressive, domineering, or quarrelsome” due to the attention they receive. However, modern research says that isn’t the case. In fact, a study in Personality and Individual Differences from 2020 found that there was no difference in........

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