Book Review--Selfish Reasons To Have More Kids: Why Being a Great Parent Is Less Work and More Fun Than You Think

I’d like to take a quick break from jihad, genocide, and military operations to discuss something a little happier—babies.  While I normally eschew parenting books, I recently read one by Bryan Caplan, an economist who is often retweeted by my favorite libertarian. Caplan’s premise in Selfish Reasons To Have More Kids is simple: Today’s Typical Parent puts an insane amount of unnecessary effort into raising children.   He amalgamates social science studies to reach the conclusion that this effort rarely pays off.  Twin and adoption research routinely shows that family environment--the "nurture" in "nature versus nurture"--has little effect on a child’s health, happiness, intelligence, success, character, or values.  So the time that parents spend fretting about their children’s homework or resumes will do little to change what college they get into.

Caplan’s advice: ditch the baby Einstein or the endless ballet, karate, and violin classes.  Instead, have a baby with someone that has the traits you prefer.  If you want a smart kid, marry a smart woman.  If you want a kid with a criminal record, go for the “bad boy” type.  My favorite quote: “The right spouse is like a genie who grants wishes you are powerless to achieve through your own efforts.”  So spend the time that you would have spent at one of those pointless success-building activities doing something that makes you happy. 

Once people realize that raising children is easier than they thought, then it is in their own self-interest to have more kids.  Caplan urges them to look past the lack of sleep they will get in the first few months or the angst their teens will throw at them.  Instead, they should think of themselves in their sixties.  More kids presumably means more visitors, and might mean more grandkids.

Caplan is so logical.  I especially liked his translation of psychological and sociological studies into concrete parenting advice.  Although I disagreed with some parts of his “Life-Giving Science” chapter—the bioethicist in me believes that there should be some limiting principles in reproductive technology besides those provided by simple market theory—on the whole, he makes a compelling argument.  If people become better at evaluating their own long-term self-interest, they will realize that bringing another child into the world is a pretty darn good deal.  I recommend this book to anyone who is currently parenting or would like to have kids in the future.  You can borrow my copy—but only after my husband reads it.  I have a feeling he’s going to push back on the sociological research that bolsters Caplan’s theory. 

Why does this book review belong on a blog about America's issues? Caplan expressly says that he is NOT advocating for government intervention in family planning.  But he also argues that having more kids would be good for the country.  New people mean new ideas. New ideas mean solutions to existing problems. So maybe the best way to fix the situation we are in now is to just find intelligent, driven spouses, have a mess of kids with them, and hope the next generation can sort things out.