why do families that have a combined income of $30-40K have 5 kids?

I know.

My parents have a combined income of about $530,000 a year. I used to have a sister but she died so now I am an only child. I have a second cousin who has 7 siblings and only her mom works and makes minimum wage. They will never own a house, and no one will hire her father because he is getting old and has never had a job in his life. Her mom just keeps having kids.

It's dumb!!

Wow. I'm really surprised at the variations in replies. I can't understand how this can bother you so much. Are they taking care of their children? And, by "care" I don't necessarily mean w/ material things. Sure, they obviously need a place to live, food, clothing, basic necessities. These things are possible even for those families with smaller incomes. I don't think it's anyone's right to judge how many children anyone should have. Years ago, people made a lot less $$ and had a lot more children. There are some that abuse govt assistance but there are also those who actually use/deserve/appreciate the help. That's what it was created for, but unfortunately it only takes a few bad apples to spoil it for everyone else.

On the other hand, if they are abusing or neglecting their children, then that is a children's services issue and you should be calling them rather than posting here on yahoo.

Some people choose to live comfortably financially and others choose to live comfortably by having a large family. We are trying for our 4th and if anyone told me I shouldn't have another, I'd tell them where they could go w/ it. It's no one else's business buy their own.

Why do some people making $65K a year drive big SUVs and live in $300K homes? Why do some millionaires have to declare bankruptcy because they haven't paid taxes in 20 years? Why do middle class families spend $5K to go to Disney World when they could spend a fraction of that and take a very nice local vacation? Why do some working professionals not have a dime in a savings account or take advantage of their 401K plan? None of that makes much sense either. Low income people aren't the only ones making poor decisions.

This is ridiculous. I am one of a family of ten children ranging from the ages of 11 and 32. My mother was a stay-at-home-mom, and my father made, at the most, 60-70k per year. We never went without. My parents owned two different large homes at different times while I was living at home. I shared a room with my sister/best friend until I was 15, and it's not something I would ever change.

No, we didn't all get brand new iPods, or a car for Christmas--but we didn't care. And, after all, that really isn't what "providing for" your children means, is it?

We were always fed, clothed, and sheltered.

And, incidentally, it's "squalor", not "squallar". I obviously enjoyed and reaped the benefits of a much better education than you, even coming from such a large family.

All that talk about "more kids, more welfare" is bogas. No matter how many kids you have, unless it is a difference between one kid and two, you pretty much get the same ammount of money. They have a cap off limit of how much you can get, I know because when I was married to my dead beat and we had 4 kids together I was only getting $100 more than a lady with one child. talk about budgeting...

After leaving him, I am still on welfare but getting a college education, and am pregnant with my 3rd child (the other two mentioned earlier were his). It is very tight on money and in the next 6 months I should be off of welfare, but money is not the biggest issue with kids- It is patients, and love, and energy. Ever since I was young I always said I would rather get $6 an hour at a job and be happy than $50 and be misserable, that kind of attitude has helped me through being "poor" money wise because being rich is not what most people think of it as. That is why people with 30-40 yearly income have lots of kids. Love.

I don't know how people do it. My husband and I are having our first child after 5 years of marriage, because only now have we built up enough income to support 2 or 3 children. We live in California so everything is crazy expensive. We have college degrees and we make a great living money wise. But the cost of living and our mortgage will never allow us to have more than 2 or 3 children!

For the coolest troublesome-working human beings in our society each thing is extra rapid-paced than it replaced right into some many years in the past yet for the lazy bums no longer arranged to get away from mattress in a morning (and do something good with their lives and to assist humanity) no longer something lots has replaced. They nevertheless think of they deserve all that existence has to offer and that they decide on it on a plate - all earned through somebody else who struggles to regulate in this rapid-paced worldwide.

You are worried about the WRONG thing!

And, a vasectomy is way more than $700, unless its a very inexperienced physician.

Anyway, get a life...Are you helping to take care of the children? If not, worry about yourself and what you have to take care of in your life!

And, this is coming from someone who does have any children, and a child of parents who have 7 children combined...

Anyway, get a life! There are more things to worry about in life than how many children people CHOSE to have!

Why would it be any of your business how many kids they have and how much money they make. I know people with 1 and 2 kids that are on welfare but a family with 6 kids make it just fine on one income of $40,000 a year. The mom is a SAHM. And they have nice things. Im talking brand name clothes and shoes, and cable. They go out and have fun, etc. Its called budget and knowing how much you can spend, and savings.

All kids need is LOVE, and a poor person can give that.

Probably because family means more than money. My husband doesn't have to make 200k a year for us to afford several children. Right now we fall into that income bracket and are planning our fourth child. We are good with our money and have no debt. I stay at home. Its our choice. I'd much rather be my kids Mom than double our income. Keep your snarky comments to yourself. Judging people based on income is rediculous.

I honestly do not know, I guess material things do not matter to them. Me however I have to be comfortable. My husband and I could afford 4 children, but why would we?? We are pregnant with our first and might try for one more later, but I have to have money to vacation and have nice things. No fun living pay check to pay check. My husband says after our second child he is getting a vasectomy...lol