[Mrs. Don-o]

"As you pointed out as the COST of living goes up the kids go down."

But I didn't say that. I said that as prosperity goes up, kids go down.

People had a lot less disposable income in 1960 than they have now, but 50 years ago they had a lot more kids. U.S. fertility rate 1959 was almost 4, now just a whisker over 2.

My paternal great-grandparents --- not peasants: urban, working class --- (he an iron foundry coremaker, she a fulltime homemaker) had 11 kids. Paternal grandparents, a cut above that economically, had 5. My parents had 2. My husband and I have 2. 11 - 5 - 2 - 2 is a pretty typical 4-generation decline in this country.

"Why? In Europe people cannot afford to have kids, getting the same way here."

"Cannot afford"? Compared to what? Compared to when? Cannot afford it compared to their parents in the 80's, their grandparents in the rubble of WWII? Their great-grandparents in the 30's? But their great-grandparents had more kids than they do.

[Little Bill]

Apples to apples, 1900 Fathers side, My Grandfather, Second youngest of 12, living. My Grandmother second youngest of 20, Living. My Mothers side, Grandfather, 13th of 14TH living, Grandmother 13th of 13th living, farmers and fishermen.

Living means that they had kids, the cost of living has gone up and a good portion of my cousins only have 2-4 kids now.