The real reason people aren’t having kids
For decades, the number of American women who have children has been declining. Explanations for the rate of childlessness abound. Pundits point to the economic constraints families face, given the high cost of child care and a lack of paid parental leave, and some news outlets interview childless Millennials who are worried about the future effects of climate change and political instability. But the Atlantic writer Christine Emba recently honed in on another part of the fertility puzzle: the need for meaning.
“Many in the current generation of young adults don’t seem totally convinced of their own purpose or the purpose of humanity at large, let alone that of a child,” Emba wrote. “It may be that for many people, absent a clear sense of meaning, the perceived challenges of having children outweigh any subsidy the government might offer.” Even countries with generous family policies, such as South Korea and France, have seen their fertility rates dip. “For some, parenthood is a hard-boiled belief; for others, it’s a switch that flips after a crisis,” Atlantic writer Olga Khazan wrote in 2017. “Other times, it’s just a feeling you get.”
Today’s newsletter brings you stories about why some people choose to have kids:
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International Development Expert/Education
3 个月All of the reasons here have merit, but I am surprised that the article doesn’t look at a rather fundamental perspective: the weight of caring for children generally (not always) falls disproportionately on women. Women have learned that they can’t “have it all”. Housework, child rearing, trying to achieve in the workforce against many odds… it’s exhausting and daunting. We might have improved over the years, but the expectations on women remain unequal. Many see this as a binary choice to have children or not; to achieve their goals in the workplace or not. Many others opt to try for balancing the demands of a family and work. It’s not easy and until we have true equality across the board, I can see why many women might make the (sometimes difficult) decision not to have children.
Independent Writing and Editing Professional
3 个月It's been well covered elsewhere. Don't push redundancy.
BD & Growth Manager
3 个月sad ..