I think people fixate on the directionality too much, at this point it is a self-reinforcing cycle. I don't know how to break it, but I'm not optimistic about the half-hearted attempts of some countries to address it via subsidies and tax breaks.

> I know very few parents that would rather work than hang out with their kids.

Work being a proxy for resources, most people want both. The value shift I mentioned earlier affects the extent to which we prioritize one or the other. Given the same economic environment, a society where family is viewed as more important than material comfort would have more families sacrificing income rather than just talking about it.