Definitely a case to increase inheritance taxes…Paris Hilton is the perfect example…
While I agree in general, the story presented doesn’t fit what you’re saying. Were they actually rich, they’d have the money to pay for a better nanny.
Terri,
My comments weren’t necessarily in response to the story, but I still stand by my statement. In fact, I will go further and say most parents today are babying their kids to the point that it truly prevents them from growing into productive, independent adults. You drive them to and from school as if they were celebrities. Kids don’t work during summers to learn the value of a dollar and you let them hide behind computers and cell phones to the point that they can’t hold a simple conversation with a dinner guest. Am I wrong? I don’t think so.
It depends on the parents. Some of the kids are busy all summer studying and doing camps because the parents are working or need to “keep them busy.” Same during the school year–there’s a real problem with parents overloading the kids with sports and lessons and kids not having any downtime.
As for the cell phones at dinner–they are holding a conversation–with their friends. I think we all know that parents’ friends are not fun to talk to–assuming kids are allowed to talk at all. My mom had a “seen but not heard rule” and as a parent now, I wonder why she didn’t feed us early and send us to bed if she wanted to have dinner “without us”. But kids certainly know how to hang out with their own and be social.
That said, I have a no-device rule at the dinner table myself. Except when I am waiting for a text 
Ouch. I totally agree that some parents coddle their kids to a detriment and phones should be put away when socializing with people face to face. I know plenty of adults who can’t put their phone down and have a conversation and they grew up without cell phones…drives me nuts. But since becoming a parent, I have also realized that a lot of those “my kids will NEVER do that” statements were fantasy so I try to cut other parents some slack.
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After reading all postings, I have to admit that I cannot be qualified as good parent. 
I am just grateful that my kids understand my situation and have been tolerating after school programs and camps.
At least, they hardly complain and show empathy to me often (about my hectic schedule).
However, I never missed teacher conference.
Sending nanny or anyone else to teacher conference doesn’t make any sense to me and I’ve never seen anyone doing that.
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Jane, no one’s perfect, and if you have to work to make ends meet, you gotta do what you gotta do. All of the parents in the crowd know it. Hang in there.
Thanks, Terri.
BTW, I have been meaning to say “thank you” for other thing.
Back in redfin forum, you mentioned something like “Magnesium may help migraine”.
After reading your posting, I have been taking Magnesium everyday for about 2 months now and I’ve had much less migraines than before.
This is such a valuable information to me.
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That’s great!!! Thanks for letting me know! I bought some magnesium to try with my son. He hasn’t had a migraine again since, but it’s great to know that it’s a possibility for helping him! I hate having to give him meds if there is a better solution.
Again, as a DINK couple not necessarily for/against kids but this was reported today. And not surprising I suppose, when one considers the costs involved of raising lil Johnny to adulthood and sadly maybe beyond these days…
My husband mentioned this article yesterday and the result makes sense.
One thing still surprising to me is fertility rate in US is still very high (2 per women) in spite of these kinds of results.
Fertility rate in South Korea now 1.1 per woman (mainly because of education cost in my opinion).
When I was young there was a popular slogan saying “Having only 2 kids is the best option for family regardless of gender”.
Nowadays, family gets all sort of benefits from government if they have more than 2 kids.
Maternity leave policies become more and more generous.
Things have changed drastically over the last few decades there.
Yet, I don’t see clear sign of birth rate decrease in US and wonder why.
Why do people have more than one kid? Because every day is a playdate and we value socialization. I could see in other cultures where cousins all play together it not being important, but in the US, either the parent has to “entertain” an only child, or you have other kids to do it.
We’ve got three, and I totally see the difference between our family and the friends who have a single child. The only children are put into multiple activities each week “to keep them busy.”
2 kids per woman is not high fertility in fact without immigrants population will decline below 2.3/ woman
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Agree with your point.
However, my question was about average fertility rate.
Even in South Korea, families with kids tend to have 2 kids.
However, less and less people are getting married or planning to have kids.
After reading Elt1’s response, I realize that birth rate in US is not high enough either.
It just looked (relatively) good due to drastically low birth rate in S Korea (and Japan).
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Generally the higher educated countries have the lowest birthrates…Problem us if we get too smart we will cease to exist…Millenials are less interested in having kids…http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nanette-fondas/are-millennials-too-realistic-to-have-children_b_4221885.html
Worldwide decline in fertility
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Imagine if it got to the point that the government is willing to pay you a lot to impregnate as many willing women as possible to boost citizenship.
(Honey, I am ONLY doing this for our dear country… I am not enjoying the sex with these women at all… really…) 
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Putin beat you to it.
Yeah, I recalled some country implemented or was thinking of doing this. Nice pecs, Putin… Could feed at least 3 babies…
All our social programs require a growing population to stay solvent. It’s going to be a huge issue for developed countries with those programs.
Kids used to be a source of income working in the farm then in a factory. Now they are a liability costing hundreds of thousands to raise. It’s the low-income people that are having the most kids. They benefit from numerous social programs. Society as a whole will get dumber for this as average IQ will decline.