Bye, bye, Grandkids: Millennials and Gen Z don’t want kids and they’re being vocal about it!
A recent poll by the Pew Research Center revealed that some 50% of people who are currently child free, have little to no intention of having children in the future.
The pandemic has only driven the “unlikely to have children” category up and may likely continue rising for the next few years, according to researchers.
According to a recent news feature in The Atlantic Millennials (born 1981-1996) and Gen Z (born 1997-2012) have been waving goodbye to many traditional markers of success that past generations were able to enjoy. Rather than believing it was simply a refusal to grow up, the Atlantic looked at the economic markers that have impeded both generations’ evolution.
Of those nonparents under the age of 50 polled by Pew researchers, and who do not plan to have children, 17% said that their finances are keeping them from taking the plunge and starting a family.
According to the personal finance publication, Bankrate, the average cost of raising a child to age of 17 is over $230,000. This also does not take into account that most parents try to help their children financially as they transition into college and beyond.
However, money isn’t the only thing deterring young, childless couples from taking the plunge! Younger generations are coming to terms with a world that is rapidly changing due to escalating climate change, and say they aren’t quite sure what fate the Earth.
Some individuals surveyed point to current health problems they suffer from. Of those who claimed a reason for not having children, 19% said it was because of medical reasons, which could include a genetic disposition towards alcoholism, mental illnesses, or some physical illness, which they prefer not to pass down to a next generation.
While there are numerous reasons given to not have kids, among those who choose to be child free, 56% say their #1 reason is simply that they just don’t want children.
It looks like many in their Golden Age might also be Grandchild Free.
While you wait to find out what your children will do, give a listen to Kenny Holland’s “the song I wrote for my future Grandchildren” on YouTube.