How many children will make up your perfect family is an age old debate, but parents are happiest with this number of children, new research reveals.
Who knew science would have an opinion on the family size that makes for the happiest households?
But it turns out it does, and the results are in.
It seems that two children is the perfect number for a happy life.
Parents happiest with this number of children, research reveals
UK baby retailer, Online4Baby.com revealed that 49% of UK adults believe that two kids is the perfect number for a happy household.
In the YouGov survey of 2,000 UK parents, 14% said three children was the magic number, while 10% said one child is more than enough.
When it comes to the biggest motivator for having another child, it’s the parents with one that have the greatest desire to add to their family, with 14% wanting their child to have a sibling so they always have a friend, and 5% not wanting to have an only child.
But having another child isn’t right - or possible - for every family, and it seems there are certain factors that may be putting parents off from adding to their brood.
Growing concerns
Amidst rising inflation, growing childcare costs and an unstable economy, it’s no surprise that 20% are delaying bringing another baby into the world.
Interestingly this is higher amongst men, with one in four viewing family finances as a negative factor.
Commenting on the results, systematic practitioner Dr Jocelyne Kenny from The Pocket Family Psychologist, said: “The data broadly seems to replicate the idea that family happiness often depends in part on how well ‘resourced’ a family is.
"The survey includes questions which capture the idea of the various resources available to families, including finances, but also how much focus parents have for other children and their own relationship, living space, sleep, personal careers and other concepts that can be understood as resources available to families at any point in time."
Clinical and forensic psychologist, Dr Andrea Shortland added: “Generally, families are seen as doing the best they can with the ‘resources’ they have - money, time, emotional wellbeing, the ability to communicate etc.
"The survey finds that the majority of respondents believe that two children is the ‘ideal’ number for family happiness, but the majority of respondents also have two children. This reflects the idea that family happiness comes when we see ourselves as being able to cope with the demands placed on us by family life with the resources we have to meet these demands.”