Saudi society is slowly moving towards smaller, nuclear families with parents focusing on providing their children a solid foundation for a better life. The New Standard Middle East¹s study Arab As Consumer -- of Saudis in 2002 revealed a profound shift by families towards individualism.
A sampling of 500 Saudis showed that couples are having fewer children as income, affordability and Saudi values come into play. The average Saudi household of family members only has declined in the last 10 years from an average 6.1 family members to 5.3. The population
Saudi Arabia continues to grow about 3 percent a year, but the study indicates an anticipated slowdown.
Many Saudis, however, say they are thinking on a smaller scale for practical considerations. Having many kids doesn't give you the chance to buy them all their
Needs for school or clothes, said Amal Al-Ghamdi, 35, a working woman. The prices for things at the market are going crazy. A mother or a father wants to get the best for their kids, and it won't be possible if one has many
kids. Ghamdi said she and her husband decided on having just two children so they can better manage their education and follow up adequately on their progress.
to be a good mother, you must chase after your children all the time, she said. "It is easier to deal with two kids."
The Ghamdis' plans for a small family is a radical notion by Saudi standards, which put an emphasis on large families and, in fact, is driven through a tight-knit family unit.
In fact, the Arab As Consumer study shows that the immediate family size of the current generation is estimated to be around 4.7 members as against a
whopping 10.3 members per family, 30 or so years ago.
Large families hit their peak in the 70s, coinciding with the Saudi economic boom. Yet if Saudis believe that large families are being eschewed to gain more material goods, there is no need to worry. The current family sizes still
adds up to seven family members, far outstripping the average family size Western nations. The distinction between families 30 years ago and today lies in the
fact that today's Saudis are better educated and live in apartments, which are smaller than the traditional villas. The country also is plagued with high unemployment, leading to families to consider reducing expenses by
reducing the size of their immediate family.
Ibtisam Aqeel, a mother of three children and employed outside the home, said her job demands that she rethink the large family. "Being a working woman, I had to leave my babies at home with a servant or my mother, " Aqeel said. "I had to take this decision, to have just three
kids because I really care about. "
Aqeel said that parents should take a great care about their children's future.
She noted that prophet Mohammed said that it is better to leave children wealthy and secure instead of leaving them poor or begging after the parents die. Providing a foundation for children's future is priority for Aqeel. "I want them to be armed against all life hardships through getting
Higher education, " she said. "My daughter now is studying medicine and the other one is learning English literature, at least this will give them a good academic future on which they can carry on. I hope they will be giving a real career and share in the future of their nation."
Uneducated mothers, she said, do not give family size and the economic issues that go with it a thought. They do not consider the problems of their low income or unemployment and their kids get less interest, concentration and care.
Wafa Farsi, who taught business administration at King Abdelaziz University, said that the first reason for having fewer children is that husband and wife are not available all the time to take care of them. "They are busy to maintain a high standard of life for them or in them social life, " Farsi said. " So, they rather prefer to get two or three kids. We are following the Western style in all aspects of our life. We are just imitating their ways of having fewer children; traveling during summer and taking great care ourselves."
Farsi also complained that young mothers want fewer children to "give a great attention to themselves these days. They don't want their bodies to be misshaped. They want to remain elegant and pleasing to their husbands'
eyes. Working women are busy with their career. They are ambitious to get better jobs. They have no time to deal with more kids. "
Indeed, the study indicates that affordability drives family size in the current generation. Husbands and wives have more children only if they were able to afford all their requirements. And affordability, according to the study, does not mean sheer sustainability. It includes whether they would be able to provide a good quality education for their children a solid foundation for a good life. Mrs. Al-Sehami is a case in point of how large families severely limit the quality of life. "It is really a hard talk to speak about my suffering with my six kids. "Sehami said. "We didn't plan to get them. It was our fate, it just happened. I wanted to have a girl, that¹s all about it and now I have five boys and a girl. "
Sehami said if she wants to buy a T-shirt, she must buy six. Daily pocket money amounts to SR50, SR10 for each child. "Just to buy a sandwich or something to eat at school and to get candy or ice-creams in the afternoon, " she said. "Kids need to eat.
As they grow up,the amount of food I cook for them is getting more and more. They want to taste different kinds of food. They want to try different dishes. They desire to live and feel the beauty of life. We don¹t live in luxury. We are just trying to have a normal life. "
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