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Are people with kids happier than people without? In the United States, those with and without kids rate their lives about the same, but globally children tend to diminish well-being, says a study.
The results were derived from two major surveys by Gallup that included almost three million people worldwide.
One survey covered nearly 1.8 million Americans from 2008 to 2012 and the other interviewed 1.07 million people from 161 countries between 2006 and 2012.
Participants were asked how close their lives were to being ideal, and what kinds of emotions they felt the day prior. Potential responses included happy, sad, angered, worried or stressed.
Parents reported more ups and downs than non-parents. Those with children at home reported higher levels of all the emotional responses, including happiness and stress, smiling and anger.
But when researchers took into account other attributes that parents tend to have -- higher education, more income, better health and religious faith -- they found similar levels of life satisfaction as reported by non-parents.
On the whole, both U.S. groups rated their lives about a seven on a scale of one to 10.
Adults of all ages with children at home rated their lives 6.82 while the childless came in at 6.84.
When researchers looked solely at people in the prime child-rearing years (age 34-46) they found people with kids rating their lives at 6.84, just higher than those without kids at 6.51.
In the rest of the world, the survey results told a different story: people with kids -- at least those outside the rich English-speaking world -- tended to be less content with their lives.
"Our results for the world as a whole, as well as for Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and South Asia are consistent with the most common finding in the literature, that those with children have lower life evaluation," said the study.
"The higher the fertility rate, the more likely are people living with children to report lower life evaluation than those who do not."
In poor countries, personal happiness may take a back seat to necessities, like requiring extra bodies to work the farm, the study suggested.
"Because of social norms, or pressure from their own parents and communities, or because of the productive contributions of children, people may have children even when, on a purely personal level, they would rather not do so," it said.
People were asked to rate their lives for the Gallup surveys, and were later asked a series of questions about their income and whether their households had children in them or not.
They were never asked directly whether their kids made them happy, or how having kids or not having kids affected their view of their lives.
Princeton economist and lead author Angus Deaton said the heart of the matter is the ability to choose.
"The take-home message is 'Do what you want to do,'" he told AFP.
"If you think children would make you happy, it's probably true. And if you think they wouldn't, it's probably true, too."
The study appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
© (c) 2014 AFP
35 Comments
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Novenachama
Life is really how you make it and how you take it whether you have children or not. In my life there has been no greater blessing on this earth than the relationships I have with my family and children and loved ones. My heart is full of love for all these wonderful people that sometimes it just feels as though it could burst wide open.
Frungy
That's a strange attitude for an economist... without more consumers (i.e. children) economies won't be able to continue their lemming-like drive for "growth".
sakurala
I think that the people who made the survey missed some big questions...
People living in developing countries may no be as satisfied with their lives for various reasons. It seems odd to not ask them if they find themselves happier with kids in their lives.
slumdog
That is not what Angus Deaton's research is about though. His research also deals quite a bit with the unprecedented inequalities that are a result of the progress of the last 250 years. It is best not to try and lump together all people in the field of economics. Each individual has opinions that should be analyzed on there own merits and not what you may think of other people in the same field.
All in all Professor Deaton's message is a positive one. Not sure why you would try to knock it.
GW
Frungy, not all economists, business people etc want growth growth growth, there are more & more who are FINALLY realizing all the growth is un-friggin-sustainable, we need more to have this figured out
Sakurala, I think they didn't ask as its such a loaded question & would distort their findings, for example how many people when asked are going to be honest with their answers, my bet is many would tilt heavily towards happy so they ""look good"" to the interviewers
Personally when I was young I wanted rascals but time & other things in mix meant the mrs & I didn't have kids, being in Japan I have come to the conclusion that was for the better for both of us when looking at the present & the future here. BUT I also have high regards for those who do have kids & kids are great.
In the end the survey is correct, if people have CHOICES about their lives they will be happier than if they are forced/steered in ways they may not wish to go, pretty simple in the end.
nath
Kids are amazing, and I love mine. I have two married friends who base their relationship around alcohol, and it works out surprisingly well for them too. (By alcohol I mean really enjoying good beer or bourbon and traveling around to interesting places with all the money they have, since they don't have kids.)
gogogo
Each to their own.
pointofview
Life with kids is great it`s the nagging partner that makes it stressful.
BertieWooster
This "study" is a complete and utter waste of time.
Whether life is better with kids or not depends on the couple.
Since each case only makes sense viewed on its own terms, what does it matter how many percent feel life is better with kids or not?
Psychs, get your notepads out!
Here's a new syndrome for you:
CMSD (Compulsive Meaningless Study Disorder)
CrazyJoe
There are three possibilities when a child comes in, it can bring the husband and wife closer together, pull them apart or make no difference. I think children are our greatest source of happiness in marriage. Marriage is either a jog trot or a roller coaster.
Tessa
Some of the happiest couples I know are childless couples.
BertieWooster
Tessa,
Some of the happiest couples I know are grandparents.
Each to his/her/their own.
thkanner
you must be all joking... why do you need kids for? cos society makes you do it? or is it the pure fear to be alone when you are old? in fact nobody needs marriage, kids and all the stuff who takes in the end your happiness away. if there was not mother nature who push women to have kids and nobody would have fear of being alone than nobody would bother with kids at all. there you have the definition of love-- fear of being alone! nothing more
cleo
Sounds like thkanner went through a rough time with his kids. Sad.
S/he's right though when s/he says that mother nature pushes women to have kids - it's called instinct. The same survival instinct that gives us the desire to eat when we're hungry, to find somewhere warm when it's cold and, because we're a social animal, to desire a partner and a family. Following your instincts and surrounding yourself with family is a no-brainer way of finding happiness and satisfaction.
And like Bertie suggests, being a grandparent is even better than being a parent.
thkanner
cleo, i dont have kids but i see all my friends, work people and others around me. most of them unhappy, totally stressed out and 70% of them either seperated or divorced. i talked with many older honest people in my life and take their wisdom in. what is ur definition of love then? its just the pure fear of being alone and the same with having kids. just the nature instinct in women to reproduce and nothing else. hunger- is fear of starvation. coldness is fear of dying of freezing. humans are the most fearful species that walked the planet.if there was not so much fear those days people would be way happier and have less. thats what they dont get. study the monks and you find out alot. in the end only one thing matters: are you happy or not? .... think about it
cleo
Wanting the best for another, above your own needs.
You think other animals don't feel the desire to eat when they're hungry, or the desire to find warmth when they feel cold?
Even non-social animals feel the desire to reproduce. The male preying mantis approaches the female knowing he's literally going to get his head bitten off. The female spider lays her eggs knowing that the hatchlings will eventually eat her. People have kids knowing that that's the end of a healthy bank-balance.
You need to be pretty fearless to have kids - willingly submitting yourself to a twenty-year commitment, making yourself responsible for another human life, is not for the faint-hearted.
We had the grandkids staying with us this past week. No need to think about it - the whole house is infused with happiness. (The living room looks like a bomb hit it, but who cares?)
nath
Cleo, men have the instinct to procreate with as many women as possible. Funny you didn't mention that. Don't demonize it then, it's just as valid as any woman's "instinct"
cleo
takachan, love (wanting the best for the other above your own needs) trumps the desire to sleep with as many women as possible. Again, part of making the commitment; marriage, committing yourself for a lifetime, isn't for the fearful or faint of heart.
Steve Fabricant
Deaton is a respected development economist and Princeton has some top demographers. It's just too bad that the "reporter" omitted the policy context of the study, which I assume was to counter conservatives' arguments against US funding for family planning programs which claim that the urge to have more children is irresistable in poor countries.
thkanner
cleo, making commitment , marriage is the fear you have of being alone. why you think grand parents are better parents? cos they stuffed up alot as parents and feel guilty. now they try the second time with mostly spoiling the kids. women have only one purpose on earth, that is to reproduce. men have purpose of making as much kids as possible to ensure the survival of the species. we used to live only till age 30-35 that the age when kids can stand on their own. defend themself and make also offsprings. to bring order in society they invented marriage and all this stuff to control the males. restrict them to sex and you have the perfect male slave. if i see the average japanese male i feel sorry. he works his ass off, gets a wopping 30000yen pocket money from wife and have almost zero rights when it comes to family law. no wonder about 75% of japanese males are not interested in marriage, kids anymore and the country dies out. pure happiness is only be found when you alone and disconnected from society. they studied brains of monks and found that they have serotonin heaven in their brain.... think about it.
cleo
I didn't say grandparents are better parents. I said being a grandparent is even better (=makes you even happier) than being a parent.
Sorry, but I didn't 'stuff up', my kids both turned out great thank you, I don't feel in the least bit guilty and I don't spoil the grandkids, my daughter won't let me. :-)
The article is about Americans and people from 161 other countries. Why do you bring up specifically the Japanese male?
That's why you're connecting with the whole world (or the English-speaking part of it) through the Internet? if you really believed what you're saying, you wouldn't be here worrying about what makes other people happy or unhappy, you'd be sitting cross-legged on top of a lonely mountain somewhere contemplating your navel or some such.
Monks retreat from the world because they can't find happiness in it. You may as well look at the brain of an LSD user, plenty of serotonin there......but I think there are better ways of finding happiness that don't involve addling your brains.
nath
I know I don't want kids (at least not anytime soon). I know a lot of people who really love their kids and their lives are made so much better by them, but I also see parents who have, usually, young children they regret and it's so sad to see kids growing up in such an environment.
I guess one issue I take with this study is that once you do have kids, your life is no longer about you: everything becomes about your kids. Your needs come second, your wants come second, and therefore, your happiness comes second. If you aren't ready to put your children in front 10 times out of 10, you're not ready for kids, and that could certainly lead to rating your life as less happy.
BertieWooster
thkanner,
Will all due respect, you're falling into the same trap that this "study" is.
You say that 70% of your friends, work people and others around you are separated or divorced, unhappy and totally stressed out.
I don't know what percent, I haven't calculated it, but most of my friends and relatives who are grandparents are really happy to have grandchildren and, I'm sure, wouldn't change things even if they could. Amongst these are scores of couples with kids who love their kids and love their lives.
Some are unhappy, but in my experience, they are in the minority.
Of course, this is my subjective opinion.
The survey above is based on roughly 3 million people, mostly Americans.
Not a large percentage, even if they were all from one country.
Each person is an individual. Each couple is different, with different rules and different things that make them happy, each child is different and each grandchild too.
This is my point. The generalisation that comprises this study is not to be taken seriously. It's more or less meaningless.
If having a steady partner is what you want, have one. If having children is what you both want, have them, if not, there are many ways to avoid having children. And if you have children, believe me, having grandchildren is something to look forward to.
People who can't stand children can't stand themselves either.
cleo
Broader horizons, and at the same time, pinpoint focus. Magical.
Except that satisfying a child's needs is what makes a parent happy, is what a parent wants; in other words, by putting your kids first, you're putting your own wants first because your major want is the happiness and health of the child; putting your kids first makes you more happy, not less. I realise this may be difficult for a person who has no kids to understand.
Aizo Yurei
Maybe life is better without kids but it won't be when you're old. That's why there is all these old people abusing the health care system because there's no one to take care of them and they're lonely as hell.
My son is 2 and he can be a pain but he's the best thing in the world to me. I wouldn't give him or any of the time (even the bad times) up for anything.
nath
No, I understand the concept very well. Granted, I have never experienced it for myself, but I know having kids was both of my parents' lifelong dream. The problem comes when that's what a couple THINKS they are ready for... and they're not. I have a feeling it's much easier to think you understand this than to really understand it, but again, as I have never had kids, you're right, I really can't know.
funny car
While I am certainly not the type of person to have my entire day made better by little joys, some people are. Any person who was, I am sure, could have their entire day brightened by the excitement and laughter of my little boy as he watches cartoons on TV. Such as it is, even I cannot deny the effect.
Also, seeing his little troubles makes me feel my own less. And seeing his sense of wonder and fascination can awaken my own.
Now, I am sort of in the middle of the road on all this. I can see how some would be moved to happiness for having children. But given all the extra responsibilities and obstacles, if I was dead set against children I would be in hell right now.
As others have said, it depends on the people.
almxxx
Now that I am old and widowed I am glad we had two boys. I also delight in seeing the happiness of cute young children bursting with the joy of youth and good health. It makes me sad when I realize they all have to face death at various times in their lives...a fact of which they are now unaware. My boys are both near me and a comfort as I am not alone. From my experience, children are a delight before age 10, a general pain till their 20s and good for arguments after that. For the very poor life is always a constant struggle. Like the old poor man lamented "I don't wonder so much why I have to die, but more why did I ever have to live".
Jessica Marie Sato
What kind of survey is this? What benefit comes from this kind of survey? I'm pregnant and I think this kind of survey would only upset parents with unplanned children or new mothers with depression. I really disagree with this and how it may make some parents feel. It may enhance their feelings of 'I made a mistake'. This is another sign of the news industry branching off into unnecessary areas to incite a reaction in the masses.
kaimycahl
People listen up everyone here loves to do what it takes to make a child when doing so its about responsibility and some purpose. Whatever the purpose maybe we as individuals must take into the account and be willing to accept and be RESPONSIBLE for our actions. Remember a child is born not asking to be born under some circumstance whether good or bad. Being a parent is a learning process it comes with up and downs, its patience after all the parents are the teachers kids will make mistakes as parent we are suppose to correct them. I agree with one poster who posted "Life Is How You Make It" I would also like to say its how one see it and progress through it I have children and believe me I wouldn't trade anything in the world for them. Its not about money for me its all about the time you spend with them day in and out and watching them grow and laughing with and at them when you tell them about some of the stupid things they did when they were younger. Thats the kind of sadness that makes you happy you dont get those days back. One should be quickly reminded that life is a complete circle I say this just as parents watch their kids get older they are returning back to where they came from we become old and like a child we can no longer walk we go back to crawling like a child. Makes me wonder if life for the children as they grow older better off not helping their parents or going off and living with their own familiy to leave their parents to live and defend for their own. Is this selfishness? I think its a life cycle where there is no beginning or end It is what it is its the choice we make I made mine so i accept it !
nath
Not really.
First let me say that I do have a serious issue with the news being made sensationalist these days, in order to drive sales. The more afraid people are, the more they read the news, and the more they read the news, the more afraid they become, creating a vicious cycle in a world that is safer than it has ever been at anytime in our history.
Now that out of the way, this article is not doing that at all. It's reporting on a study that holds interest for many people. I'm married with children and I found it quite interesting myself.
Tthe news should never be held back because it may hurt someone's feelings. In fact that is one of the last reasons news should be held back. Not reporting it isn't going to make it not true.
Next, neither the study, nor the story, says that you or your significant other are going to be less happy. It is simply reporting on trends across a large number of people. Your own personal happiness, or lack thereof, will be a result of your own relationship and actions within it, and nothing in this survey is going to change that in either direction. So if you or your SO feels you made a mistake after reading this article, that's a sign of issues within your relationship. Not a result of reading this article.
cleo
Or as a good friend of mine once put it, 'When you're raising kids the hours are long but the years are short. Make the most of what you have while you have it.'
fishy
I don't think life is better without kids, though I sometimes think life would be EASIER without kids. But personally, even when things get tough because I have kids, I do not think life would be BETTER without them. I just need to work things around :)