5 Advantages and Disadvantages of a Small Family

Pros

Attention

Regardless of how many children you have, parents love their children equally, but it's no secret that the fewer children there are the more time parents have to dote on and pay attention to them. Being able to devote your attention to fewer children means that those children will benefit from having more of your time and your resources. Not only can this be beneficial to your children, but it can also alleviate a lot of stress for the parents.

Finances

There is a big financial benefit of having a smaller family. Fewer children not only means more money to dedicate to extracurricular activities, tutors and education, but it also costs less to feed and house fewer children which can lead to more financial stability in the family. Smaller families will pay less in daycare and childcare costs which can make a huge impact on a family's finances. Children who come from homes with more financial stability tend to have more opportunities as they grow older and tend to do better academically.
According to a recent study, parents of larger families are less likely to pay for their children’s college education, while parents of smaller families are more likely to pay. This can mean a huge difference in the financial advantages these children receive going forward.

Opportunity

Caring for children is a full-time job and often one parent stays home to raise those children until they're at least in school. Having fewer children allows both parents to seek opportunities, both in terms of career development and education outside of the house sooner than those who have larger families, the American Academy of Pediatrics notes.

Cons

Social Skills

While lots of only children and children from smaller families have no problem with their social skills, studies show that only children don't have the social skills that their counterparts with siblings have. Sometimes only children or children from smaller families aren't as exposed to their peers as much as those from larger families until they reach school age, which can put them at a disadvantage when it comes to learning how to navigate social situations.