Do Kids Matter?
Modern parents are less happy than their childless counterparts. But happiness researchers rarely emphasize how small the happiness gap is. Suppose you take the National Opinion Research Center’s canonical General Social Survey, and compare Americans with the same age, marital status and church attendance. (These controls are vital, because older, married and church-going people have more happiness and more kids). Then every additional child makes parents just 1.3 percentage points less likely to be “very happy.” In contrast, the estimated happiness boost of marriage is about 18 percentage points…the people to pity are singles, not parents.
Full article on the effect of children on happiness.
Do kids matter? Of course they matter. Who are you trying to kid?
Throughout most of human history, children were a productive asset — gathering firewood, tending farm animals and caring for siblings. Adult children provided a measure of protection against enemies and a safety net when growing old. Beginning around the 21st Century in advanced countries, children began to require an investment in resources greater than they produced. Parents had to begin limiting the number of offspring.
It would be interesting to compare the happiness of older couples whose children are grown with grandchildren versus similarly aged couples who intentionally no children. I would assume grown children with grandchildren would increase happiness.
As someone who currently knows more expectant mothers than most obgyn’s (ALL of my friends are having kids right now!!!), I find it amazing that parenting is so popular. From the outside looking in, it appears as if having children is the worst possible thing to do, especially if you like your current way of life.
But, of all the mothers I know, there is only one that appears to not be on cloud nine about her kids. The moment the child is born, all you hear about is an endless torrent of happy-go-lucky parenthood stories. (Or worse yet, birthing stories…)
But, then again, misery loves company. Perhaps they’re lying to me so that I’ll have children and they’ll have someone with whom to share their troubles. The real truth will emerge.
I like the implications of the study: having a husband is better than having a kid.