New Reading Resource: The Baby Bust--How Economics Can Explain Demographic Changes

Why are birth rates declining in wealthy nations? The answer lies in opportunity costs. As economies grow and incomes rise, the time required to raise children becomes more valuable.  This summer issue of Page One Economics investigates how individual decisions about family planning can have an impact on macro topics such as growth, per capita income, and a nation's population.

Working at the intersection of demographics and economics, high school and college students will learn that the cost of raising a child has increased as household income and productivity has also increased. For young potential parents, this raises the question of whether they can afford the time and money it takes to raise a family instead of focusing on their careers and saving for other important life events, such as retirement. Families having fewer children also creates potential issues for government policymakers as they consider everything from child labor laws to social safety net programs that rely on a steadily growing number of workers.

By creating a free account on fre.org, this article can be easily assigned to your students using Canvas, Google Classroom, Schoology, Blackboard, and D2L Brightspace. The assignment contains a self-grading, multiple-choice assessment for the convenience of both teachers and students. Our tutorial page will help you get started.  
 
Check out the full resource page below!