Summary of Speaking of Children | Magic of Words | Grade XI

Summary of Speaking of Children: Barbara Holland

Barbara Holland supports the view of having a single child for a happy life. Through her essay ‘Speaking of children’, she suggests all give birth only one child for a happy family. Barbara says that one child is like an organ of own baby. It is a part of life. A single child can be easily handled and looked after. The husband and wife can easily move a single child. They can maintain family expenses very well.

Barbara says that more than one child is a way of life. More children need more care, time and money. So, parents do not live their life for own self rather life for children. They do not get time to enjoy the weekend. They have to go to bed late at night.

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On the one hand family expense increases and on the other there are always quarrels in a family. When children grow old, hardly parents get a chance to use the telephone. Barbara Holland argues that for happy life, husband and wife should talk in secret about their whole day activities.

But, if there is more than one child, parents never get a chance to talk in secret. Always children disturb them. Later they have to follow written form. But when the children become able to read and write, the husband and wife can only talk on the telephone in-office hours.

Hence, Barbara Holland boldly advocates for having only one child to live a happy and comfortable life. More than one child is not only an economic burden but also psychological stress.