[user104658]

Probably, but nothing like as many as is made out. Personally I would say, children are MUCH more work than getting a job, so it seems like a flawed plan to me! "I don't want to get up at 7 and go to a normal job, so instead I'll have a kid, get up at half past 5, and do a much harder job relentlessly all day every day."

Good thinking!

Also, I would point out that the number isn't always a "choice". Our first wasn't exactly planned and we weren't in the financial position to have a child at that time either, we were both in our final year of University, but it was a "happy surprise" (... After a few months of panic!). Our second was planned a few years later in a better financial position. We have never planned on more than two (enough work! Especially as my younger daughter has just recently been diagnosed with ASD) but we got pregnant again, completely unintentionally, in November last year. Unfortunately it ended in an early miscarriage, but if it hadn't ended that way we would have just gone with it.

So, "should" children always be planned? Yes, definitely, but I know from personal experience that both first children AND additional children can be unexpected. I personally think a lot of people just try to make the best of the situation when they are probably still a bit in "panic mode" and saying things like "well, at least we'll get extra money!" can be part of that.