Ideal family size in a rural Tswana population

It is a matter of concern that family-planning advice is often given without consideration of the cultural norms which influence the client. A questionnaire was used to discover what 350 rural Tswanas believed the ideal number of children to be; results were tabulated according to age and sex. It appears that older people tend to want more children and, more surprisingly, that men and women agree on the ideal number of children in a family; this is contrary to the traditional impression that Black men want more children than do Black women. Further research among other Black population groups is indicated.