Older Parents Are Happier

[archerships]

But the most striking findings revolved around parenthood and age. Whether it is a function of exhaustion, bickering over diapers or something inherently unpleasant about raising little children, the data doesn’t say, but parents under 30 are decidedly less happy than their child-free peers. Then, once parents hit 40, the relationship reverses and people with children are cheerier than those without.

The more, the merrier, too — at least for older parents. For people under 30, happiness declines with each additional child. Young parents of two are unhappier than young parents with one, and young parents of one child are unhappier than young people with no children. But with parents between the ages of 40 and 50, the number of children has no impact. And after 50, each child brings more joy.

via nytimes.com

Comments

[gwendally.livejournal.com]

This is amusing, because this is EXACTLY why I wanted to have children when I was in my twenties. I'm a long-term planner. I knew that I would have ten hard years with babies, but figured I just would have to go through it to get to the part where I had adult children and grandchildren one day, which was precisely my plan.

I never really enjoyed babies and didn't have children to have a baby. I always had them so I'd have adults.

Now comes the tricky part: getting grandkids. My plans aren't terribly clear on how I get those.

[crasch.livejournal.com]

My plans aren't terribly clear on how I get those.

Sneak into their bedrooms, and poke holes in the condoms.

[evillinn.livejournal.com]

Its unfortunate that they didn't differentiate between older parents with older kids and older parents having children later in life. it seems like a significant component of this overall discussion.

[crasch.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'd like to see that too.