| 'Population explosion' connotes many negativities like | | | | classroom where a little is taught and even less |
| penury, malnutrition, epidemics, illiteracy, | | | | understood. In a small family, parents are able to |
| environmental pollution, indebtedness, etc. A country | | | | inspire the children and they have ample chance to |
| is not an isolated entity; instead, it is a group of | | | | imbibe good qualities. |
| families. How a nation and the world fare, thus, | | | | It is a common observation today that the concept |
| depends on the conditions of the families that | | | | of a large family is dying out in the cities where, |
| comprise it. That's why the concept of a small family | | | | especially the middle class has perceived the |
| must gain ground today. | | | | advantages of a small family. Both the parents, who |
| According to the United Nations Population Fund | | | | may be working, find that a small family is happy |
| report, the word's fifty poorest countries will triple in | | | | family not only duet to economic reasons but also |
| terms of their population size by 2050, surging to 1.7 | | | | because it suits their busy life. Thus, we have the |
| billion people. This is the irony, too; the poor and | | | | 'tailor-made' families that get along very well with the |
| developing countries are being crushed under the | | | | hustle and bustle of the modern life. With the number |
| weight of overpopulation and related problems. It | | | | of government officers increasing in the cities, a small |
| implies that the sizes of our families are growing and | | | | family can be rightly called a 'transferable family'. |
| thereby suffering. Ironically, this misery is often | | | | Parents find it easy to shift a small family from one |
| invited in the expectation of happiness. The poor look | | | | place to another duet to their transfers which will be |
| upon a large family as the panacea for their poverty. | | | | a rather difficult task for a large family! It applies |
| They believe that a large family means more working | | | | more to military personnel as well as those who are |
| members and hence, more money and well-being. But | | | | transferable like railway employees on operational |
| 'the more the merrier' formula does nor work here. | | | | duties, etc. |
| Frequent child-births bring untold maladies. The children | | | | The role of women too, is important. The patriarchal |
| are often undernourished and fall victim to numerous | | | | family culture and the limited role of women give |
| diseases. In the absence of family planning with | | | | very little chance to women to restrict the number |
| suitable gap in births, when the new baby arrives, the | | | | of children to a bare minimum. Therefore, educating |
| first child is weaned off the mother's milk. The | | | | and empowering women is indispensable for a happy |
| mother's health too, fails. This vicious circle ruins the | | | | family. The UN declared 1994 as the International |
| entire family. | | | | Year of the Family and May 15 as the International |
| The size of the family is not the parameter to | | | | Day of Family, to help the governments look at |
| measure happiness. Happiness is about well-being, | | | | family related problems with comprehensive policies. |
| security and stability. A small family guarantees | | | | Thus, everyone must go for a small family, which will |
| well-fed, healthy children who get more parental love | | | | be a giant leap for our world. Then, from the four |
| and affection as also quality education. Parents have | | | | walls of a small and happy family, the aura of |
| to face numerous problems in managing and | | | | prosperity and happiness will brighten the nation and |
| disciplining a large family. It is like an overcrowded | | | | the world. |