Don’t Fool Yourself

Why Indians won’t suddenly start having more babies, even if important leaders say so

Every few years, some well‑known people in India say that families should have lots of children—sometimes four, five, or even ten! Recently, the head of the RSS said all Indians should have three kids. That number is more realistic, but it still won’t happen. And it’s not just India—many countries like Japan, South Korea, Italy, Poland, France, China, and even the US are dealing with the same problem. Their leaders also keep asking people to have more babies, but nothing changes.

Why? Because having children today is very expensive and very hard.

Babies are cute, yes. But babies grow up, and that’s when real problems begin.

Parents need to send children to school, but school fees in India go up very fast—much faster than most people’s salaries. Many parents feel that even one child is a big financial challenge. Two children can be too much. Three? Almost impossible.

Then there is housing. Everyone needs a home, but house prices in big Indian cities keep rising. In Delhi, they have gone up a lot, and it’s getting harder for young couples to afford enough space for a bigger family.

And what if someone gets sick? Medical costs in India increase every year too. One illness in the family can drain all the savings. So from a normal couple’s point of view, having a baby feels like a luxury—something only possible if you have a lot of money. Raising a child till adulthood can cost more than buying a fancy German car! And in the future, with AI taking over many jobs, parents worry whether their kids will even find work.

There’s also the mother’s point of view. Having a baby affects her body, her job, and her dreams. Even though both parents can share responsibilities, in reality many mothers end up doing most of the work. That makes them think twice before having multiple children.

Because of all this, populations in many countries are shrinking. India’s birth rate has already fallen below the level needed to keep the population steady. Even states that used to have many kids per family—like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh—are slowing down now.

One day, India will have the same problems as China: an ageing population and fewer young workers. But telling young couples to “just have more kids” won’t solve it. It’s like asking workers to buy fuel for the factory—they already have enough to worry about, and it’s not fair to expect them to fix everything.

So no matter who says it—religious leaders, politicians, or famous people—most families simply won’t have more children. Life is too expensive, too stressful, and too uncertain.

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