Just One

One of the most impactful, life-altering—and for many, if not most—difficult choices men and women make involves determining how many children to have. With more women wanting or having to work and the cost of raising children rising, the number of one-child families has increased markedly and is quietly becoming the “new normal.” But, that fact alone doesn’t clarify what is desired or plausible given an individual’s situation. What psychologist Susan Newman has learned during her most recent study (the fourth on the subject of roughly 100 subjects each) from only children and their parents will help readers wrestle with concerns, whether they are deciding their family size or parenting one child right now. Just One: The New Science, Secrets and Joy of Parenting an Only Child sorts out the most frequently asked and nagging questions: • Is one child enough for me? • Am I being selfish by limiting my family to one child? • Does my child need a sibling? • How do I raise an