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Are you eagerly awaiting a grandchild? Or are you constantly badgering your children about when you will have a grandchild? The reason why people aren’t having children is as clear as mud. The only thing we can be sure of is the statistics of the birthrates in the U.S. The birth rates are trending lower and lower, and since 1963, we have experienced a decline in births by 9%! The reason behind this is completely personal. Many people claim that they don’t see themselves as parents because of economic reasons or that they want to enjoy the freedom of not having children. I’m not saying that having children is a burden, but I am saying that we can take a look at some factors affecting lower and lower birth rates.
Some People Are DINKWADs
I know what you’re thinking. “Did he just insult a whole group of people?” Actually, no. Double Income No Kids With A Dog, or DINKWAD for short, this term has actually been around since 1987! The new generation has decided to slip in the with-a-dog bit, which wasn’t part of the original saying. The DINKWAD lifestyle is like a traditional marriage in a sense, but substitute your baby with a fur baby, and now you’re DINKWADding! Many DINKWADs claim they would rather spend their extra money on travel, home improvements, or on themselves. Is this type of living selfish? Well, that’s not really for me to say. That lifestyle seems to work for many people. Who are we to judge the actions of others when they are not doing anything inherently wrong? I can say that this philosophy is what is causing birth rates to decline year after year.
COVID Caused Infertility?
COVID impacted all of us; however, it seems to have affected some more than others. Many women who caught COVID have reported that their menstrual cycles have been affected in one way or another. Women reported that their cycles have become longer in duration, way past the time they had recovered from COVID. Women weren’t the only ones affected; men who tested positive for COVID and healed after the fact were showing signs of hormone imbalance past their recovery time. The article I read on this topic was very interesting and a little more scientific than I could comprehend, so if you enjoy that type of reading, you can view that article here. People who are not physically able to have a baby significantly reduce the birth rate statistic.
Childbirth Costs Way More
The cost of raising a child has gone up significantly. Over the last 13 years, the cost of raising a child has increased by over 20%. Having children includes purchasing food, diapers, daycare, schooling, and much more. The saying is true that a dollar doesn’t stretch quite as far as it used to. Inflation hit a record high in 2021, and the effects are still felt today. Gas prices (variable by area) are still very high, the cost of living has increased, and rent prices are through the roof, literally! Home loan rates remain at an all-time high as well. This predicament means fewer young couples are purchasing homes, which in turn means young couples are holding off on having children. When you have a child, you also must ensure they have clothing, heat, and some fun activities. All of your expenses will rise! Since over 78% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, it’s a no-brainer that many couples are waiting to have children.
With all this in mind, the main point to keep in mind is that your children are trying their best to build a life that may or may not produce grandchildren. Whatever reason they have for abstaining from childbirth is a personal decision, and it should be respected. Now, that doesn’t mean you can’t let them know you’re excited for grandchildren. It simply means maybe you should dial back your expectations a little bit.
Did you like this article? Check out this article on our sister site: Digital Parenting Challenges And Effective Solutions.
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