Does having kids make you happier? Research paper.

[Mad_Murdock]

I think lots of factors could be at play here
Being a parent can be a great joy, unless Billy isn't such a great kid. Then it becomes a burden. You have goals and aspiration for your children and they come along and poop all over your dreams. Then outside of that, you has a provider during a down economy, have the constant stress and worry that you might not be able to provide.

Now if you have the prefect kids and they pursue the perfect plan you had for them and job worries are never a concern, then you're happiness will be through the roof.

[Deleted]

I'm not sure that they'd make me happier. I'm 100% sure they'd make me poorer.

[Theodarzna]

About the "hard-wiring": the thing is, Taft, we as a species don't have to go by our instincts anymore, because of sentience. If we find a reason to override our instincts ( like not wanting to spend the money, wanting more free time, believing a larger population is bad for the environment) we can. Because we (alone among that life we've encountered thus far) can think in the abstract.

Sentience is to some degree illusionary, you are not magically immune to billions of years of evolution because you know that its you in the mirror.

[Halyon]

I was wondering for quite some time "why did you say A-word, just say anal, it's not that hard"....

...and then I realized.... oh wait nevermind.

Because some people will just start getting on that case, and it's not the topic, so yeah... I have no issues with it personally.

- - - Updated - - -

Sentience is to some degree illusionary, you are not magically immune to billions of years of evolution because you know that its you in the mirror.

No, but that doesn't mean we're all secretly slaves to some animal drive... And if some people only act on their instincts, then they really shouldn't procreate, it's bad for the overloaded gene-pool at this point.

[THE Bigzoman]

My dad was a drinker for as long as I can remember.

You tell me.

[Deleted]

I consider having children a duty, regardless of your own selfish moods.
So i plan making 5 children, and to those children ill give a a right wing nationalist education, and from them i expect atleast 2-3 children of their own.

[Theodarzna]

No, but that doesn't mean we're all secretly slaves to some animal drive... And if some people only act on their instincts, then they really shouldn't procreate, it's bad for the overloaded gene-pool at this point.

Do to low fertility rates globally, actually we kind need people to make enough kids to keep the day to day operations and economies on the go.

[Halyon]

Do to low fertility rates globally, actually we kind need people to make enough kids to keep the day to day operations and economies on the go.

No, we need the babyboomer generation to die off. The planet is over capacity. Our greed doesn't matter in the long run if it's going to kill all of us.

[Theodarzna]

No, we need the babyboomer generation to die off. The planet is over capacity. Our greed doesn't matter in the long run if it's going to kill all of us.

lol economies do not work that way, cripple one generation and you cripple the next and the next, if one cohort is brutally poor the next one will also be feeble and anaemic in a sort of death spiral.

[Halyon]

lol economies do not work that way, cripple one generation and you cripple the next and the next, if one cohort is brutally poor the next one will also be feeble and anaemic in a sort of death spiral.

Everything within reason. But we don't need to keep the replacement rate on point just yet. But to be fair, we also need to improve a lot of processes that also cause a lot of environmental damage. I should not be doing intellectual things while I'm tired...

[General Junos]

Needs more info.

I'm currently 21 weeks pregnant, and honestly, I'm miserable as hell. The constant pain (headaches, muscle aches, muscle strain, intestinal pain), the random urges to cry hysterically, getting up to pee in the middle of the night REPEATEDLY. Can't wait for this little bastard to be born. I honestly think I will be happier when it happens, if for no other reason than I won't always be in pain.

Perhaps I can answer more truthfully in another year or so. >_>

[Theinquisition]

As a new Dad (10 month old at home) I can say that I'm a bit happier in most aspects. I don't have the same free time I used to, but I find a lot of satisfaction of doing stuff for my daughter.

no matter how upset I am, angry, or depressed, when I walk in the door and she gives me that 2 toothed grin and flails in happiness, it melts my heart and all my negativity drains away.

[shimerra]

No, we need the babyboomer generation to die off. The planet is over capacity. Our greed doesn't matter in the long run if it's going to kill all of us.

There is zero evidence to support the claim we are over capacity. While our use of oil is unsustainable, it's as of now a solvable problem. Foodwise? Not even close to an issue in terms of total output, the issue is distribution.

[Fahrenheit]

My wife and I chose to forego having children despite being ideally suited for it; perfect health, educated, careers, upper middle/upper class income, both sets of parents are close by and still married.
Best decision we've made. Our lives and marriage are fucking awesome.

[Morae]

I value my freedom VERY high.

Not sure, if I'm asexual, but I simply don't care. I'm not interested in getting into relationship with anyone. I don't get why people are so interested in fucking each other.

From fucking we get to children. That child will make you poorer. You will need to produce the effort to support that child. That child may not even appreciate the effort.

The way I see it, by getting children you make yourself poorer, you sacrifice your personal life and many freedoms. What you get is possibly some form of happiness.

So selling your current happiness, freedom and money for uncertain happiness.

Only thing that I'm afraid is that when I'm old I may see things otherwise, but now and as far as I can see, not interested. Seriously not interested.

[muto]

My wife and I chose to forego having children despite being ideally suited for it; perfect health, educated, careers, upper middle/upper class income, both sets of parents are close by and still married.
Best decision we've made. Our lives and marriage are fucking awesome.

How do you know it's the best decision you've ever made if you've never had kids. That's quite the assumption to jump to.

[Auxora]

I say yes. They can be a lot of stress and work, but in the end I think overall most parents are much happier. But as a wise person once said "Life's what you make it". You can be a happy person without kids, a happy person with kids, or an unhappy miserable person with/without kids.

[RayenDark]

Boys are superior, they carry your name into the future. A girl lets your name vanish. I dont like this. Keep in mind this is my opinion. Not a fact.

You're living int he dark ages.
A woman does not have to change her name. More so if she works in an artistic/writing field it could actually hurt her career (By people not knowing who she is anymore) which is why most hyphen it.

[Alydael]

My kids make me happier. In fact, my favorite time of the day is after work, I pick my kids up from school and we hang out. Wouldn't trade it for the world. Not surprised at where the USA is on that list though. They really punish you for having kids here.

[Forgettable]

They include countries like Czech and Hungary but not Canada? I'm hurt.