Astral Codex Ten Podcast

Book Review: Selfish Reasons To Have More Kids

11 snips
Jun 3, 2025
The discussion delves into Bryan Caplan's insights on parenting and its surprising ease. Humorous personal anecdotes illuminate the exhaustion of parenting twins. There's a critical look at how modern parents invest more time in childcare yet face mixed outcomes. The idea of free-range parenting is championed, reflecting on childhood freedom's decline. Additionally, the challenges of technology in parenting are examined, emphasizing a balance between screen time and traditional engagement.
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INSIGHT

Parenting Effort vs. Genetic Impact

  • Bryan Caplan argues parents spend more effort parenting than past generations hoping for better kids.
  • Behavioral genetics shows parenting makes little difference; genes and randomness matter more.
INSIGHT

Modern Parents Spend More Time

  • Parenting time has increased significantly since 1960 for both fathers and mothers.
  • University education correlates with more time spent parenting compared to non-university educated parents.
INSIGHT

Understanding Secondary Childcare

  • Secondary childcare (while doing other tasks) accounts for significant reported childcare time.
  • Bureau of Labor Statistics data suggests parents provide over 5 hours daily of secondary childcare with children under 13.
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