Selfish Reasons to Have More Kids

by Caplan, Bryan

• ISBN13: 9780465018673
• ISBN10: 046501867X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-04-12
• Publisher: Basic Books

Summary

We've needlessly turned parenting into an unpleasant chore. Parents invest more time and money in their kids than ever, but the shocking lesson of twin and adoption research is that upbringing is much less important than genetics in the long run. These revelations have surprising implications for how we parent and how we spend time with our kids. The big lesson: Mold your kids less and enjoy your life more. Your kids will still turn out fine. Selfish Reasons to Have More Kidsis a book of practical big ideas. How can parents be happier? What can they change--and what do they need to just accept? Which of their worries can parents safely forget? Above all, what is the right number of kids for you to have? You'll never see kids or parenthood the same way again.

Table of Contents

acknowledgments	p. ix
Introduction	p. 1
You Count Too: A Commonsense Guide to Happier Parenting	p. 13
The Case Against Guilt: A Parent's Guide to Behavioral Genetics	p. 37
Behavioral Genetics: Can It Be True-and What Does It Mean?	p. 75
What About the Children? Kids Today Are Safer Than Ever	p. 93
Enlightened Family Planning: How Many Kids Do You Want When You're Sixty?	p. 109
Your Kids Are Good for You-But Are They Good for the World?	p. 123
Selfish Guidelines for Want-to-Be Grandparents	p. 137
Life-Giving Science: What It Means for You	p. 147
Be Fruitful and Multiply: Four Chats on Kids, Parenting, Happiness, and Self-interest	p. 163
Conclusion	p. 179
notes	p. 185
index	p. 217
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