Harman interviewed 950 parents from a wide range of family set-ups, and concluded that the happiest families were those with four or more children. The main advantages cited by these parents were increased positive social interactions within the family and high levels of support among siblings.
Child number two or three doesn't make a parent happier. And, for mothers, he found, more children appear to make them less happy—although they are happier than childless women. For dads, additional children had no effect on their well-being in his study.
Another study confirms that parents with four or more children are the least stressed, especially when compared to parents with three kids. Those fears with the first child get less and less as you go along. Turns out, four is the magic number for less stress and more happiness.
Trends in ideal family size
Two children is always the most popular choice, followed by three children, four or more children, and one child or no children. Chi-square tests, however, indicate a significant difference in responses over time.
Parents with four or more children were the most satisfied with their lot, enjoying, rather than feeling overwhelmed by, the chaos of a big family.
Want to be a happier parent? Grow your family to at least four children! According to a study out of Australia's Edith Cowan University, parents with the most life satisfaction (which means those who are the happiest) are those that have four or more children. Dr.
Bounty.com, a popular UK parenting website, polled parents across the United Kingdom and found that families with two girls were more harmonious and had fewer arguments. The study also found that two girls were more well behaved, got along better and were more likely to help around the house.
Stress. A TODAYMoms.com survey of more that 7,000 mothers found that the least stressful number of kids is four, while the most stressful number is three. Scary Mommy blogger Jill Smokler told Today that she wholeheartedly agrees. “Going from one to two was an easy, breezy transition,” she said.
Since having five or more kids is generally the cutoff point for being considered a “large” family, here are all the ways your parenting will change once you hit that pivotal plus-five milestone.
Three or more children = wrong
Despite the growing trends mentioned above, two children still seems to the ideal number. An actual study revealed one to two children is the ideal number for “happiness”, but with two you don't have to deal with the aforementioned only child issues.
Here, researchers tracked people over 20 years and found that parents were actually happier after the birth of their second baby. With their first child, life satisfaction dipped for several years, then increased to levels higher than before. But a second child steadily increased happiness.
It's subtle, but it seems the more siblings a person has, the likelier they are to be happy. Sibling related happiness seems to even out past three siblings, but it's interesting to note that that the “3” response group also features the largest “Unhappy” response.
Four is the magic number
In a study conducted by Dr Bronwyn Harman from the Edith Cowan University in Perth, it was found that parents with four or more children are the happiest parents.
In fact, mothers who have three children are the most stressed out - even more so than those who have four, according to a. The study found that while transitioning from two to three children is overwhelming for parents because it means they are outnumbered, mothers tend to 'let go' once they reach four children.
While, according to a TODAY Parents survey1, having three kids may be the most stressful, it doesn't mean that being a mom to three doesn't totally rock. You don't just have one kiddo to love, you have three and three kids that get to grow up and experience all the adventures of childhood together.
Inside: According to one survey, three kids is the most stressful number to have. Having four kids is supposed to be less stressful. Here's the real reason why. According to some random online survey, the most stressful number of kids to have is three.
Some may choose one or two kids, while others may want four or more children. There are pros and cons to both, but according to a study on happiness in family life, those who are in larger families are happier.
The once-dominant four-child family has been replaced by the two-child family. A plurality (41%) of moms at the end of their childbearing years now report having two kids, while just 14% have four or more children.
The Benefits of Big Families
Kids with siblings have greater social skills than those without, and married people who grew up with more siblings are less likely to divorce, controlling for many background factors.
You can actually enjoy what's precious about each stage. By the time you have three kids, you realize just how fast it all goes. Your third baby brings so much pure joy—unlike the first time around when that joy was mixed with nervousness and worry about if you were doing it right.
Research shows that some people find it hardest to parent children in their middle school years. Puberty and peer pressure can leave these teens feeling angry, alone, and confused, which can cause bad behavior and disagreements.
This period can be extremely challenging for both the parent and the child. The most effective thing you can do as a parent is to keep to a consistent and predictable routine and help your child to feel as safe as possible. Work together with them on skills to help them calm down when they're feeling stressed.
Is it a household of girls, a household of boys, or a mix of the two best for parents? According to a survey conducted by British parenting website Bounty, two girls are considered the best combination for parents to have a happy and harmonious family life.
A gap of 3 years or more greatly reduces the chances of sibling rivalry. By this time the older child is secure in him or herself and quite independent. In addition, the mother's body is fully recovered from the challenges of pregnancy and birth of the first child.
On one hand, historical survey data suggests that American parents' preference for sons over daughters has remained relatively consistent for nearly a century now, with men showing a slightly stronger preference for sons than women. Fertility figures, on the other hand, tell a different story.