Back in 2008 when I was blogging under a pseudonym at Mahanolobis, I posted on the birth of my girl Izzie under the title Increasing my Carbon Footprint. I mentioned this was all due to a 2005 blog post, The Selfish Reason to Have More Kids, by Bryan Caplan, which he turned into a book of the same name. Of course, while it might have been a necessary condition so were many other variables, so I don't want to oversell this, but he made a compelling point (I discussed this in an earlier post). My wife admits she was quite content (overwhelmed?) with two children, I persisted, and she's now infinitely grateful. I just got the book last Friday, and its cheap, good, quick read. Maybe it will change your life!
10 comments:
I'm also a big Caplan fan, have followed him for years, and had our first son a year ago. I give Caplan some credit both for the timing (my wife and I were going to wait until she was through residency but decided to take the plunge while she was in med school) as well as the relaxed attitude we've taken which has benefited everyone. Residency is no fun for my wife, but I think that we're on the same page in terms of boosting our goal from 2 to 3. #1 has been way better than I ever would have imagined.
That was YOUR blog? I wondered what happened to it.
The pleasure is all mine, Falkensteins.
Three y.o. Izzie being asked by his Father to do cost/benefit analysis of her existence... Talk about Tiger Dads!
Children are a great investment in the future.
I'm inclined the same way for personal reasons but culturally, it's shoveling shit against the tide. Check out worldwide live birth rates per female and do the math.
Europeans have basically decided that we're all just a bag of chemicals that react and then after a while cease to react - so it's best to while away the in between time absorbed in self-indulgence. I don't think they even bother with kids at all anymore.
That was YOUR blog?
Eric was a contributor, but not the principal one.
I have 3 myself. I would have had a couple more, but a divorce and age prevented that! Children are great. Best business decision I have ever made.
I think having a girl is so different than having a boy, it's like the difference between a dog and a cat. But kids are truly great, much better than some project I'm working on that seems really important at the time.
Izzie is gorgeous! Please do humanity a favour and convince your wife of having a control group!
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