What are the benefits of having and raising children?

Having been up since 3 AM with a child, I can say the cost-benefit fluctuates wildly.

Would love OP to indicate if they do not know the benefits and want to know, or if they know the benefits and want others to know as well.

Some old reasons to have progeny: free labor, keeping property in the family, nepotism, enforced helping parents in old age.

An idea apparently returning to popularity: "my genetics are a gift to the world and can save the world from itself"

If “taught”, so must the cost in time and effort for having children. For the parents and society.

First world countries need to do their part and have less children. We just crossed 8 billion. There are enough people on this planet and there are more than we can handle being born every minute. If countries with disproportionate resources are afraid of losing their young population, just import some young ones. Open up the borders, invite young people to immigrate and encourage them to settle. Sure you may need to look at a different skin colour or two or hear a new accent, but you can sleep easy knowing how much carbon footprint you averted.

Only if this is one of the required textbooks:

http://www.realworlddivorce.com/