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Studies that say the "childless" -- whatever age, are less happy than parents have problems and should not be taken that seriously. They don’t take into account the reasons behind the non-parent status–which respondents were childLess--meaning those who want/wanted children but could not have them? Temporarily childLess--want them, just do not have them yet? Or childfree--do not want children? From interviewing hundreds of childfree and talking to hundreds more, I can say that the childfree are not more likely to be less happy than parents.

To lump everyone with no kids into a "childless" category is not a telling variable. Studies and articles that report on them that don’t include or speak to these variables continue to reinforce the pronatalist notion that having kids is what makes us happy in life, when the reality is this is just not true for everyone. So many other factors go into what it means when we say we are happy–kids are not "the" ticket for all -- when can we put the debate to rest on whether the happiness buck stops with kids? Laura Carroll, author, The Baby Matrix

May 24, 2012 - 2:38pm

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