Because the law/government makes it less and less legal to raise your own children or have a family. +2

MONEY

Look at the Society we live in??? It is about being "Your own individual" which is a good at some point:) It is so materialistic it is frightening:) I am even guilty of that! Whatever happened to sitting down as a family and telling stories:) We think we have to spend money and just Wow our children with the best of everything! Computers, TVs, Ipods, Sports, Gymnastic lessons! And to afford all of this we must also work unless you are the Heiress to the Johnson and Johnson billions:) More communicating and less texting:)

This sort of thing swings back and forth. Our grandchildren will probably be wondering why society doesn't emphasize the role of the individual more. : )

Numerous reasons I would think. Religion used to lean on people to make babies, agrarian culture used to require people to have large families, as did the fact that only a few score years ago many babies were stillborn or died soon after birth. City living meant that people didn't have much room to have huge families while feminism (quite rightly) helped women have other options than the marry/spawn/run-the-household standard that had been brought about by the industrial revolution. . The car (and air travel) shouldn't be underestimated either. It allows people to travel far from family and make roots elsewhere while still enabling get-togethers for holidays and such. . In addition, a much larger percentage of high school graduates go to college, either in-state or out of state. Regardless, college degrees provide a higher level of employment, often very specific employment that people can't always pursue in their home towns. This assumes that their hometowns remain. Economic changes have killed some small towns, and even large steel towns. Parents often can't afford to move because their house has no value. Kids must go elsewhere for any economic success at all. . Plus, you know, kids these days. Whaddya gonna do?

I have. Well at least with blood family. I would be more than happy to be family orientated if it was with my wife (if I was old enough to get married). +5

Yes Americans have.