The world just eclipsed 7 billion people and the news was greeted with outcry. So is this a great time for a column advocating the wisdom of large families? Probably not. 

Yet, I ran across this book, “Selfish reasons to have more kids: why being a great parent is less work and more fun than you think,” and it inspired me. Written by Bryan Caplan — an economist, of all things — it’s an interesting read that challenges conventional parenting notions across the board, demonstrating with data that having more kids improves the parents’ lives without compromising the children’s.

Large families are the stuff of dysfunctional reality TV, from Kate Plus 8 to Octo-mom and other pop culture train wrecks — even Michelle and Jim Bob, an appealing set of parental role models, no question, but 21 kids? Really? Why can’t the cable channels feature a family that is “normal” by cable standards, of say 10 children, whose names don’t all start with J? Like a contemporary equivalent of my dad’s family — 12 siblings, all raised as successful, happy adults with great spouses, strong marriages and an unbelievable work ethic. They flourished in the face of incredible hardship, fought in world wars and raised crops through the Dust Bowl.

These days many parents stand down with 1.5 kids, a goldendoodle and two cats. Caplan notes that in 1976, 20 percent of women in their 40s had five or more kids. By 2006 that number dropped to 4 percent. Some European countries have so little population growth that it is crashing conventional economic models. A New York Times Magazine article back in 2008 described the Europe’s low-birthrate phenomenon as a “baby bust.” The lowest fertility rates in Europe? Greece, Spain and Italy — which are all dominating the news for other, not entirely unrelated, reasons.

Caplan’s work has moved to the top of my parental must read list. Borrowing from research about twins and adopted children, he turns many parental assumptions on their head. The Times dubbed him the “un-Tiger mom” because he argues that hyper-parenting does little good — from grades to sports.

Guess what? Kids are going to pass, fail or make the basketball team no matter how much you fret, practice or endure drive by drop-offs. Your kid’s getting splinters from riding the pine in football? Let me guess: Dad is blaming Johnny for skipping those personal training sessions at Lifetime.

Pops, get a clue. Your high school letter jacket boasts of choir and debate.

Admittedly, no one will start a house addition once they finish the book. Still, it invites a welcome dialogue on what our culture embraces as “truth.” There are many other examples illustrated in this book that didn’t surprise me but might shock others. As parents we push too much on our kids. They hate piano? Maybe they should quit. They want to play Xbox? Chill. He’s not becoming an ax murderer.

And while you’re at it, Mom, consider recalibrating your thinking on Johnny’s soccer team that plays tournaments in Toledo, Tulsa and Tupelo. After all, he’s 9 but his knees say he’s 20.

My mom, who passed away in 2002, was disinclined to give me advice. When she would visit us, she was too busy pulling the kids away from the light socket and moving the hair dryer away from the full bathtub. Yet, occasionally she would share her opinion about chasing four kids under the age of 6. There was one suggestion she mentioned more than once: “Good parents like you and Lori should have more children.”

Today, with two in college a third out, and just one at home, there is no doubt. As in most things, Mom was right.