This is Why None of my Friends Want Kids
The childfree movement is on the rise, while birthrates globally plummet. So why are couples choosing not to have kids?
If you are wondering to yourself, why on Earth do women and men just seem to not want kids these days, then never fear! I am here to answer your questions! As a 25 year old woman who is well educated, well traveled, and career oriented, I have a never ending list of why I, and other individuals, are contemplating never becoming a parent.
Strap in, and lets get started.
- We can barely afford a house, let alone kids.
Most people in my generation are looking at the housing market and the average cost of housing, and just dont see how we can afford a house, let alone a child. Houses cost, on average, $250,000.00 in my state, and despite having savings, and a stable income, and being a High School teacher, if I dont find a partner that makes way more than I do ( and I mean way more ) than affording a house is going to be insanely hard. In order to have a baby, you have to have a house first, which means if I cant afford a house, kids are out of the question.
2. Childcare prices are insanely high.
Childcare costs in my state average in on about $10k per kid. If something happens, and I end up having two kids at once, that costs is going to spiral to $20k a year. I make about $30k after tax, which means childcare would take up two thirds of my entire income. I have heard other couples complain that childcare in some neighborhoods is even higher, and can get up to $30k to $40k a year, which would mean my entire income would go to paying for my children, for years on end. Most Americans make an average salary of about 50k, so the average U.S citizen wont fare any better.
3. Children cost too much, and they aren't getting cheaper.
According to the USDA, the currant average cost of raising a single child from birth to the age of 18 is approximately $233,610.00. That means if I give birth, I am essentially paying a quarter of a million dollars to have a child. A child, by the way, that may die, will have no guaranteed healthcare, and could end up shot, or addicted to drugs, especially since they will be born in a high crime country, so why even bother? Honestly, to many young people, having kids is the equivalent to burning money, and can you blame us?
4. Kids can destroy, or severely set back your career.
Lets be honest, guys. This one is not aimed at the men in this equation. Having kids is notorious, and factually proven, to have great negative consequences on a woman's career. Giving birth is routinely cited one of the biggest factors in denying a woman a promotion, failure to move up to higher positions in a company, and income loss when it comes to women in the workplace. And who can blame women for complaining? Do you know how hard it is to get your Ph.D. or write an award winning novel when you have a baby screaming at you 24/7? Many women, now that we have more choices, are opting for finding fulfillment in careers rather in babies, and who can blame them?
5. Your body gets destroyed, physically and emotionally.
Giving birth is one of the most painful processes known to womankind, but the horror does not end there. Having a child can destroy your body, make you gain massive amounts of weight, give you Post Partum Depression, rip open your private parts, permanently alter your physical appearance, and can even kill you in some cases. Not to mention the increased rates of stress, anxiety and depression in newborn mothers that come with the pressures of motherhood. Personally, there is no way I can see myself having a child without constantly being worried, anxious, or stressed about them, and think it would destroy my peace of mind and anxiety levels, and I know others feel the same.
6. There is no guarantee your children will turn out well or even like you.
Every parent desperately wants to believe their child will end up healthy, happy, good people who are productive members of society. But statistically, that is not the case. The number of incarcerated is climbing, violent crime is going up, hard drug use and overdoses are more frequent every year. Alcoholism, drug addiction, mental health issues, disease, racism, war, and all kinds of disorders are on the rise. The chances your kid ends up addicted to something, having a mental disorder, dying in a war, or ending up in poverty, or unhappily married or miserable is pretty damn high. Is there a good chance your kid may end up happy and a good person? Yeah, sure. But is there also a good change your kid will end up miserable, broken, or a loser piece of shit? Also yes. And yeah, I know that sounds harsh, but I personally know several mothers who defend their “innocent little boys” who committed sexual assault, rape, pedophilia and child abandonment. The blunt reality is that your child could end up President of the United States, or they could end up a pedophile. Its the luck of the draw, and you never know what your going to get.
Conclusion: Whelp, thats all folks! For now, at least. This list will be continued in the future, as there are many more reasons people dont want kids anymore, but feel free to agree or disagree either way! In the meantime, what do you think? Should more people go childfree or should they have the kids their grandparents so desperately want?
