Women used to have litters of children. It was a good thing to have so many children up to maybe 50 years ago, because if they didn't die in birth or childhood, they became free labor in the form of farmhands or alliance-making heirs if you were rich or aristocracy. Since then, we have shifted away from agrarianism and having 7 plus children is no longer a benefit but a liability. Infant mortality rates have never been lower in the history of the world. There isn't a societal need to "be fruitful and multiply".

There is a huge difference between being raised as one of ten or as an only child or one of a duo. I'm one of ten, and in my family, discipline was harsh because when you're in a pack, doing stupid shit gets out of hand faster than when you're solo. Playing outside often turned into "I bet you can't climb that rusted silo faster than me." Or, if you got caught doing stupid shit, it was faster to be made an example of so the others don't do the same thing.

My husband and his sister are a duo of children who were very coddled. My husband is pretty well adjusted, but his sister is a goddamned self-entitled train wreck. She thinks everything should be handed to her. She quickly arrives at anger and thinks she needs to be in constant competition with everyone. She thinks she gets to give input on everything because... I don't know. Train wreck, like I said. Personally, I think it's because she never had sibling-peers to knock the snot out of her when she got out of line.

Of course, these two examples are anecdotal. I've noticed the difference between my own upbringing and my child's, which is why it got me thinking about it. She's an only child, so my husband and I dote on her heavily. My mother never doted on her kids because she was fucking tired all the time because she had 10 of us. With birth control, my child was planned and there aren't any more children in my future unless we change our minds (not fucking likely... children are a huge investment in time and money and having more would be irresponsible of us until we win the powerball. Sending two kids to college at today's prices is ridiculous. Sending two at a projected 4% inflation per year, 18 years from now? No thanks.)

Everyone has their hands out these days. No one can deal with rejection or disappointment. "Someone has what I want! Change the laws!" Or, "Someone wants what I have! Change the laws!" Is it because they didn't have to compete for the resources as children with their siblings?

Just a theory. Please don't eviscerate me, kthx.