Don't have one more!

Q: I have one child but everybody is advising me to have another one, as this one will feel lonely. Is it necessary that a family should have more children or is just one child sufficient?

இன்னொன்று தேவையா?
మరొకరు వద్దు…!!

Sadhguru: Right now, the population of the world is 7.2 billion people. It is a phenomenally high number. Never before in history have this many human beings existed on the planet. What this means is, 6.5% of the total number of people who ever lived upon this planet, are here right now. There shouldn’t be more than 1%. This is a serious problem.

It is almost a crime to have one more child today because the biggest problem is population. We think the biggest problem is global warming. No, it is population. If the population is lowered, global warming will not happen. If you reproduce excessively, nobody will live to their full lifespan. People will start dying because of a variety of shortages and scarcities, which is already happening. Half the people on the planet don’t get to eat properly. We want those who are alive to live a long and fruitful life. But those who are not yet, we can hold them up there.

About your child feeling lonely, your child feels lonely because most parents are strangers to their children. When a child comes, it is not for you to boss around and act like a parent. Stop being a parent because your child needs a good friend. He does not need a boss in the form of a parent. If there is an oppressive boss, even if there are 12 children, they will still feel lonely. So do not be oppressive and suppressive, just be a good friend to your child and he or she will be fine. If both parents are really good friends to the child, why will he feel lonely? Why will he want one more offspring to be produced around him? No such thing is needed.

Editor’s Note: Download the free ebook Inspire Your Child, Inspire the World for more of Sadhguru’s wisdom on parenting.