According to recent surveys conducted in Germany and the US, findings suggest that only a small number of participants actually regretted their decision to have children. Another study shows that 37% of participants wanted more children, even if they were not currently raising a child.
YouGov data from 2021 found that one in 12 British parents (8%) say they currently regret having kids. Younger parents aged 25 to 34 (one imagines the most sleep-deprived group) were the most likely to feel regretful, while those aged 55+ were the least regretful.
It's normal to experience a range of emotions about the decision to not have children, including sometimes feeling sadness, regret, or self-doubt. If these feelings become overwhelming or start to have a negative impact on your life or mental health, consider speaking with a therapist.
Research shows that not having kids can raise the risk of certain health issues, like breast cancer. However, having kids can also raise the risk of cardiovascular disease for some women, and in others it can lead to chronic pain.
By their mid-40s, customarily considered the likely end of childbearing years (though of course there are exceptions), about 1 in 7 (or 14 percent) never did have any kids.
Research shows that there is a “happiness bump” that parents experience right after a baby is born. But that tends to dissipate over the course of a year, Glass says. After that point in time, the levels of happiness of parents and non-parents gradually diverge, with non-parents generally growing happier over time.
Being childless can be a personal choice or the fate of infertility. While it does not mean you dislike children, it does allow for more time to invest in other things. Regardless of the reason you do not have children, you can be happy, as life without children can be very rewarding and fulfilling.
After the age of 40, there's an increased risk of developing gestational diabetes and preeclampsia during pregnancy. Older maternal age has also been found to lead to a higher risk of premature births and emergency C-sections. Chromosomal genetic disorders are also more likely to develop when a person is older.
Some people are dead-set on never wanting children, but many fall somewhere in the middle. Though research shows that people do regret having children,1 it is not something people often talk about, so it can be hard to get that perspective.
You are not a bad person if you experience regret. It can be helpful to talk about your feelings to a close friend or family member, and if the feelings are overwhelming or affecting your mental health, making an appointment with a therapist or counselor is highly recommended.
The idea of bringing another human into the world and the joy of seeing that person go through life is another powerful reason why couples want to have a child. Parents want to see their child grow up and become a productive member of society.
Essentially, the evidence we have suggests that having children can make you happier. It also can make you feel unhappy, or constantly stressed, or anxious, and so on. Overall, it seems like having children makes your emotional experiences more intense than if you don't have them.
Several studies agree that there is a positive association between delayed motherhood and longevity. A 2015 study showed that women who have their last child after age 33 are more likely to live to 95. Another study showed that having children later in life is “positively related to aspects of cognition later in life.”
Lacking the urge to have children does not indicate a flaw. It's completely normal that some people, both men and women, won't desire children in their lifetime, Ambardar says.
Grow your family to at least four children! According to a study out of Australia's Edith Cowan University, parents with the most life satisfaction (which means those who are the happiest) are those that have four or more children.
A life without children is not empty, unless you choose to leave it that way. A life with children can be filled with all the wrong stuff. The choice to have or not have children doesn't automatically make your life more meaningful. It's all down to how you fill your time, whether that's with caring for kids or not.
Another study confirms that parents with four or more children are the least stressed, especially when compared to parents with three kids. Those fears with the first child get less and less as you go along. Turns out, four is the magic number for less stress and more happiness.
The major disadvantages are lack of companionship/being alone/loneliness, lack of support and care when older, and missing the experience of parenthood.
The researchers followed a number of families over a 5 year period and monitored their happiness as their families grew in size. The result that they came up with? Having 4 children is the best way to boost your happiness.
Voluntary childlessness statistics reveal that 22% of childless women have a master's degree. 54% of poll respondents think parents should go on vacation without their kids on special occasions. What percentage of American couples are childless? A staggering 57% of American households are child-free.
Childless couples tend to develop "strong social relationships such as with friends and family, including nieces and nephews," she says. And maintaining strong social connections "is important for aging across the board," she notes.
In 2021, the total fertility rate in the United States remained nearly unchanged at around 1.66 children per woman. Nevertheless, this was the first time during the observed period that the fertility rate increased in the United States.