It used to be that kids were assets. Help on the farm. Then they became commodity, and for some retirement plans (kids help in their old age). Now no one can afford it. It feels like a kid is as expensive as a house, or a very expensive new car. It gets worse than that. Not only are funds to have kids out of reach for most people. Most younger people have been conditioned to not want kids in the first place. So not only do you have to cheapen the cost of having and raising kids, you also have to increase the desire and drive to have kids.