Married With Children Paves Way To Happiness

forbes.com:

Want to be a happy married couple? Consider having kids. A new study found that having children boosts happiness. And the more, literally, the merrier.

But unmarried couples shouldn't expect to find greater happiness through child-raising. The study, published in the Oct. 14 online edition of the Journal of Happiness Studies, suggests that having children has little or no effect on boosting happiness among couples who aren't hitched.

Read the whole story: forbes.com

Comments

[yellowdoggie]

I see a lot of posting by people who seem to take this survey as either an attack or a validation on their own lifestyle choices or situations. I agree with Lincoln's observation that people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be. Lots of unhappy single and married and childless and child-ful people out there. Lots of happy ones, too.

[sonoffestus]

Feb. 2010 will 28 years married without children. We found a life time of happiness. Now in our late fifities we are very happy not to have had children.

We have many friends who have children who said the difficulties of raising children have been well worth it. We have other friends who said if they had it to do all over they would never have children.

Why make children responsible for your happiness or your misery?

[baraka1]

Thank you.

[67bug]

Yes, thank you!

[baraka1]

I have been married for fourteen years and I have found that happiness cannot be found in someone or something else. I see women who are smiling with their babies but most of the time I see angry women, discontented men, and a crying baby. Children are a lot of work but it seems that staying married is harder work these days. A study says that divorce on child is more difficult than death. When a couple decides to have children please think how you can make that child happy not the other way around.

[Aesthete]

I was born into and raised in a large family. Most married people I encounter are generally happy raising children, biological or adopted. My best friend and her husband adopted four wonderful children and I consider the family to be greatly blessed. I am single and childless but feel extremely happy for them. It is sheer delight to have all of them plus members of my own family for dinner on Christmas day.

[isjois]

Was this study done in the U.S. - or some other compassionate country, where all citizens have access to health care and a social safety net? Or, perhaps, it only looked at wealthy families?

I'm a parent. I choose to have children. I love them both immensely.

BUT, it's extremely hard to raise children in this country - unless you are well off!

For the average family, both parents must work long hours to afford the "basics". If that family encounters a chronic health issue, parental unemployment or any other "crisis" - they risk being driven into the streets and the judgemental comments that rumble through through our society.

[AejB]

Who funded this "study"? Babies R Us?

[singermuse]

Where specifically did this information come from? What is their agenda? Making a generalization about married people being happier is an old bromide spouted by the fundies, anti-gay, anti-alternative lifestyles, and of course, anti-men and women having careers and lives that may not include a partner or children or both. Married with children and happy? It all depends on the couple/family. Was it a "shot-gun" wedding? Did the woman have a CHOICE to have or not have children? Did the man have an active roll in raising the children, being an equal partner in the household duties? Do both parents work? The underlying factors in the happiness of a marriage with or without children, has more to do with that couple sharing mutual values, respect for each other, honesty, EQUALITY, and BOTH having an active roll in making life-family choices and shouldering responsibilities. These are factors that might include raising children, but maybe not. There are plenty of married/unmarried and childless couples who are very happy and about the same stats who are not happy,

[67bug]

Thank you!

[JuniperSunshine]

Well, it's nice to hear one positive bit of news about having kids. Normally, I just get dirty looks and snide comments now that I'm pregnant with my fourth child. I actually brought a woman to happy tears when I said she had a "lovely large family" at the grocery store. She was so used to the "do you know what is causing that?" and the "better you than me!" comments. Kids enhance your life a hundredfold, and often bring you closer with your spouse. It's a truth that seems lost on many people.

Now I'm waiting for all the sarcastic, angry posts about how children are a drain on everybody, expensive, and no particular blessing. Also the smug "childfree" contingent will post to remind us all that not everybody wants kids. But no matter how you phrase it, kids are still a vital part of many people's lives and happiness. Childfree is like "husbandfree" or "moneyfree" or "healthfree" IMHO. Though you may not choose to have any, they are no less a blessing to the rest of us.

[isjois]

We live in a very judgemental society - indeed.

Congrats on the pregnancy!

If I had more money, time or support - I'd have loved to have more kids.

[obelix1349]

Pay no attention to the fascist enviro-wackos. They are a vocal minority, who, because of their animosity towards having kids will become an even smaller minority because there is no younger generation to pass their ideals on to.
in general though, people are having less kids because its pretty expensive nowadays.

[sonoffestus]

As a childless happily married couple, we have no animosity towards children, but towards many parents that have failed at parenting. Children are not the problem, but failed parenting can be. This make us unhappy.

Times have changed , but I know our parents wouldn't let us behave like a lot of "wacko" children running about. It's the rude, disrespectful little princes and princesses I'm talking about. Many parents know what I'm talking about, the better ones I mean.

[Albert]

Well thanks, that's very helpful news.

Especially considering that I am so painfully aware of the fact that my wife and I cannot have children. The results of this study are useful how exactly? Are they expecting people to base their child bearing decisions on this study? Is it just to make people with many children feel better about their lives? It may be a statistically significant finding, but I don't see how the information has any value.

[simplejourney]

Chill out and adopt, its okay.

[djwfutbol]

Yeah, I'm happy as a clam, married with children. How do I know? Because my wife said so. How else?

Now pardon me, please, as I go back to my crappy 8 to 6, waste-of-a­-life-job, so I can write that tuition check.

[sonoffestus]

LOL! Hey there's always Father's Day.

[gardengranny]

I hope this was written in jest; otherwise, get thee to a therapist.

You're gonna screw your kids up with those negative vibes.

[67bug]

Happily childfree here, thank you very much!

[skippyB]

Unless it doesn't. What was that divorce rate? Now do a survey with the lucky happy kids.
Spare us the just add water keys to happiness. It's a spiritual thing.