Rational hopes for a second child

As the father of a young boy, I often imagine what life would be like if my wife and I were eligible to have a second child. If my little Ray could have a brother or sister to play with after kindergarten, perhaps he wouldn't feel so lonely when we are tied up with household chores.

My wife once told me she would love to have a baby girl, although that's Mission Impossible under China's current one-child policy. We are not the only children of our parents and so are deprived of the right to have a second child.

China rolled out its nationwide one-child policy in the 1970s. Although there are different interpretations and rules of implementation, having only one child still ended up as the only choice for most couples.