Posted on 07/05/2018 2:53:18 PM PDT by Mrs. Don-o
Jessica Boer, 26, kissing her cat Kip at her home in Portage, Mich. Like an increasing number of people in her generation, she does not plan to have children. “Now we know we have a choice,” she said.
Wanting more leisure time and personal freedom; not having a partner yet; not being able to afford child-care — these were the top reasons young adults gave for not being sure they wanted children, reports a new survey conducted by Morning Consult for the NYT.
About a quarter said they expected to have fewer than they wanted. The largest shares said they delayed or stopped having children because of concerns about having enough time or money.
It is partly about greater gender equality. Women have more agency over their lives; motherhood has become more of a choice.
But it’s also a story of economic insecurity. Young people have record student debt, many graduated in a recession and can’t afford homes — all as parenthood has become more expensive.
[humungous snip]
David Carlson, 29, graduated from college in 2010, when the job market was still rough. He and his wife had $100,000 in undergraduate debt between them. They both work full time — he in corporate finance and she in counseling — but they don’t yet feel they can take time away from their careers.
He said they’d consider adoption if they decided to have children but had waited too long. Another option for having children later in life is egg freezing. Only 1 percent of female survey respondents said they had frozen their eggs — but almost half said they would if not for the cost.
Whether the young generation will catch up later is not certain, but will depend on their capacity to combine work and family.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
My mother passed away 3 years ago, and while cleaning out her things, came across the invoice from the hospital for my oldest sister's birth. 1955, 7 days in hospital (shared room), anesthesiologist, attending OB-GYN, treatment for jaundice. Total $270. I calculated that was about 5-6% of my Father's yearly entry-level white-collar income at that time.
5-6% of today's median income would be about $2800-$3000. Cam you have a child in a hospital for that amount today?
I agree with you. I never wanted kids, and had no maternal urge. It gets me angry when people get on their high horse and say we are selfish, even though my tax dollars are paying for your kids education.
No he’s not. You may not be able to live in a great neighborhood or have a nice car but if family is important it’s doable.
That doesn't explain how there could be home-schooling families (which are generally one-income) at every income level in the U.S. economy.
Makes sense.
So your solution is to live in a garbage neighborhood and try to raise kids in it?
I am too old to be a millennial, but their parents (boomers) are supremely ignorant of the economic reality.
Listening to the advice of the boomer generation has done more material harm to millennials than most other single factors.
"...Amen to that..."
This generally involves the working parent becoming a wage slave. I certainly don’t find any fault with those who refuse such a life.
Either that or Mom and Dad are helping. You would not believe how many married millennials in my church are having their bills paid by Mom and Dad. It is absurd and unseemly.
The working parent? Wage SLAVE?
Why can’t they do it now?
Because their buying power has been diminished since we were young.
--- True, feminism did that.
Plus our entertainment culture --- movies, magazines, broadcast and electronic media --- which give the VERY STRONG, persistent, penetrating and persuasive impression that everybody is sexier, better-dressed, better-looking, and has a better career, better house, car(s), vacation-spot, and spouse, than you do.
Dude, our economy runs on envy.
“How come no tattoo?”
Don’t give her any ideas!
Money is tight because we are paying social security to people living in their 90’s who were “supposed” to die in their early seventies. Plus disability to millions under retirement age.
We have four boys in one room. I try to stay out of there because it reeks.
I remember a character in one of H. Allen Smith’s books (set in 1960s Texas) explaining that you had to have three sons: one to get killed in a car wreck, one to turn out sorry, and one to take care of you when you get old.
Feminism! Women have forgotten who they are.
Poor planning boomers are working later, clogging up the promotion paths. They are career path log jams.
I agree. Not to mention, most of the folks in the old folks homes DO have kids. They visit once a month.
BTW you don't have to live in a neighborhood at all. There are a lot of rural places that are cheap to live.
I’ve been very impressed with home-schooling families. Kids are their priority and it shows. Some do it on a very working class income.
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