Decisions to Have Children in Late 20th and Early 21st Century Australia

Abstract

The literature on dyadic decision-making regarding childbearing is not voluminous. This volume presents a comprehensive analysis of such decision-making based on 115 in-depth interviews conducted in eastern Australia in 2002–2003 with females, males and couples for whom family formation was a recent, current, or imminent future issue. It traverses contemplation of parenthood during adolescence and early adulthood, talk about children during courtship, the process by which family size is determined, and then decision-making in respect of first, second, third and fourth children. The variety of decision-making approaches and issues, and the extent to which explicit and implicit decision-making prevail at different parities, are assessed.