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2014-February-17

To Have or Not to Have a Second Child

Since China allowed couples where at least one parent is an only child to have two children, Li’s parents-in-law, who have the traditional preference for sons over daughters, now want Li to have a son. However Li, now 33, is keen to pursue her bright career prospects. A second child would mean giving up the chance of promotion.

Li has been pondering the possibility of having a second child for some time. “I would like to have another child in a few years when my career is stable, but am worried that my age by that time will limit my chances of conceiving. But even if I do sacrifice my career and have a baby now, raising and educating it will cause financial problems. This is why we can only make this decision after thoroughly thinking it through.”

Although it seems a pity not to have a second child now that the policy has been relaxed, it is an endeavor that demands sacrifice. This is why many young couples who relish the thought of a second child nonetheless have financial misgivings. Liu Ying, born in the 1970s, must bear a main practical difficulty in mind if she decides to have a second child — that of age. Liu is 38 and has a 12-year-old daughter. As her husband yearns for a son, Liu’s instinct in view of the relaxed family planning policy is to have another child. Yet she is hesitant about taking this step because of the problems an older mother faces.

People have many and various views and ideas about the revised family planning policy. A second child demands heavy financial expenditure and boundless energy to an extent that might affect the living standard of the whole family. For many families, therefore, having a second child is a difficult decision.

Ideals are no match for hard reality. For young couples who must find the means to buy an apartment, raise a child and care for two sets of aging parents, today’s economic pressure is immense. Some couples admit that they find it hard to imagine how they could possibly raise another child. Others that tend to look on the bright side of things, however, say, “After a few more years of enjoying our life, if our parents are happy with the idea, we’ll have another kid.”

 

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