> At this point the sociogram is rich enough to become interesting.
But the family is poor enough to become boring!
(I can't resist a good pun.)
Anyway, kids aren't raised in isolation with their parents. Our two year old tot already has two kids that I would consider her friends; she mentions them when she's home, and she prefers spending time with them to spending time with other kids.
Ask any member of a large, poor family whether they would trade (life improvement costing $XX,XXX) for having fewer children in the family. Life is beautiful and easily beats filthy lucre. It's worth the struggle. People lose sight of this.
I spot two assumptions in your comment: 1) that families plan the number of children they have, and 2) that this planned number is some number lower than 16.
Yours is not the only worldview.
And with birth rates plunging worldwide, many now trending below sustainable levels, who will provide you with healthcare and other services in old age?
But the family is poor enough to become boring!
(I can't resist a good pun.)
Anyway, kids aren't raised in isolation with their parents. Our two year old tot already has two kids that I would consider her friends; she mentions them when she's home, and she prefers spending time with them to spending time with other kids.