Birth rate plummets

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The U.S. is intentionally an incredibly hostile place to raise children and then wrings its hands over the unwillingness of people to raise children.

+1
I cannot fathom how people are making ends meet. Childcare is exorbitant and frequently, not especially high quality for the money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have these reports included any information on whether the decline is a choice or rising infertility rates? I am a bit concerned about that. That must be playing a role.

My guess is the majority are by choice. With social norms changing breaking from antiquated tradition is no longer scandalous. It’s liberating when you think about it. To be able to figure out what works best for you and adopting that without fear of being labeled as “something is wrong with that one” I can’t imagine anything worse then having children because that is what is done and secretly wishing you hadn’t your whole life all the while traumatizing the children. Don’t have kids, live your life, find your passion contribute to the well being of society with the freedom of not having the responsibility of children and die happy knowing you got the most out of your life and gave back as much as you could. Having children isn’t the “everything” to everyone. Those that want to have kids should feel free to do so assuming you can provide for them.

[Anonymous]

Simple, would you want to have children in a country that is going Christofascist year after year? Would you want to have children if Project 2025 actually happens?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Simple, would you want to have children in a country that is going Christofascist year after year? Would you want to have children if Project 2025 actually happens?

Exactly.

The United States will be a horror.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of factors.

Women wanting a career more than a family.
Young people not wanting to marry let alone start a family.
Young people more interested in social media than actual human contact.
Egocentricity - more concerned with one's own needs and not wanting to worry about the needs of another.
The economy and unwillingness to sacrifice luxuries for the benefit of another.

The world does not need more humans. Having a baby is selfish and done to fulfill one's self. You are not making some grand sacrifice for the world, this is about you and yours.

If everyone stopped having babies, humans would cease to exist. Seems that is what you want.
Despite your beliefs, having children is a sacrifice. It is also a blessing and an experience so rewarding that those who choose to not have children will never experience.

Okay, so it's a sacrifice, but it's also "a blessing and an experience so rewarding." Sounds like you think this blessing and rewarding experience is a terrific benefit to you overall. Great. Go for it. But that's not a grand sacrifice overall that you are doing to benefit humanity instead of yourself. You just contradicted that.

Oh, please. Any parent who tells you that they did not make sacrifices to have children are just lying or are not very good parents.
And, how do you know that one of the children that I gave birth to and sacrificed for is not the next Einstein or Mother Theresa?
There is no contradiction to saying that having kids is both a sacrifice and a blessing and rewarding experience.
You don't want kids? Fine. Don't have them. But, don't go around criticizing others for wanting the joy of having a family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Simple, would you want to have children in a country that is going Christofascist year after year? Would you want to have children if Project 2025 actually happens?

Between lack of support for children, red states which are now hostile for women and girls, and the above...it's no wonder people are deciding not to have children or at most one.

[Anonymous]

It's not the world that is changing and becoming harder to have kids, it's people's mentality. No one ever thought raising kids is easy, or doesn't requires sacrifices. It's not hard to have kids if you prioritize family. It's hard to have kids while not sacrificing anything, and that's where the younger generation is having trouble. They have been raised to never compromise on their dreams or wants and to do only what feels good for them. Well then, of course having kids is not that feasible.

If you want kids, make it happen. Move to a cheaper location. Settle down earlier with a stable partner and build equity. Move closer to family. Families used to help each other. Nowadays, family is toxic and everyone wants to avoid their parents and siblings. Well, then you lost your village and you are on your own and everything, including raising kids, is easier. Don't put this on the government. It is not the government's job to help you raise your kids. Nor are they any good at it.

[Anonymous]

Plummets is a strong word.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not the world that is changing and becoming harder to have kids, it's people's mentality. No one ever thought raising kids is easy, or doesn't requires sacrifices. It's not hard to have kids if you prioritize family. It's hard to have kids while not sacrificing anything, and that's where the younger generation is having trouble. They have been raised to never compromise on their dreams or wants and to do only what feels good for them. Well then, of course having kids is not that feasible.

If you want kids, make it happen. Move to a cheaper location. Settle down earlier with a stable partner and build equity. Move closer to family. Families used to help each other. Nowadays, family is toxic and everyone wants to avoid their parents and siblings. Well, then you lost your village and you are on your own and everything, including raising kids, is easier. Don't put this on the government. It is not the government's job to help you raise your kids. Nor are they any good at it.

Well said. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not the world that is changing and becoming harder to have kids, it's people's mentality. No one ever thought raising kids is easy, or doesn't requires sacrifices. It's not hard to have kids if you prioritize family. It's hard to have kids while not sacrificing anything, and that's where the younger generation is having trouble. They have been raised to never compromise on their dreams or wants and to do only what feels good for them. Well then, of course having kids is not that feasible.

If you want kids, make it happen. Move to a cheaper location. Settle down earlier with a stable partner and build equity. Move closer to family. Families used to help each other. Nowadays, family is toxic and everyone wants to avoid their parents and siblings. Well, then you lost your village and you are on your own and everything, including raising kids, is easier. Don't put this on the government. It is not the government's job to help you raise your kids. Nor are they any good at it.

If you don't want the government to help people with money when they have kids then don't complain when the birth rate plummets. It's as simple as that. Either subsidize kids like you do corn for the farmers in the midwest or don't expect to have a stable birth rate. We don't owe you babies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not the world that is changing and becoming harder to have kids, it's people's mentality. No one ever thought raising kids is easy, or doesn't requires sacrifices. It's not hard to have kids if you prioritize family. It's hard to have kids while not sacrificing anything, and that's where the younger generation is having trouble. They have been raised to never compromise on their dreams or wants and to do only what feels good for them. Well then, of course having kids is not that feasible.

If you want kids, make it happen. Move to a cheaper location. Settle down earlier with a stable partner and build equity. Move closer to family. Families used to help each other. Nowadays, family is toxic and everyone wants to avoid their parents and siblings. Well, then you lost your village and you are on your own and everything, including raising kids, is easier. Don't put this on the government. It is not the government's job to help you raise your kids. Nor are they any good at it.

Sometimes a village doesnt exist. I mean, thats a very narrow and self-centered view you have which is interesting since you are calling people who dont want to have kids narrow and self-centered.

You dont just find someone stable and settle down early. Some people dont have siblings. Some dont have parents who are helpful or even of sound mind and body.

If it were just so simple, then everyone would be doing it and there would be no resistance. You seem to be ignoring why people arent having kids and then saying its their bad choices.

People used to have kids they couldnt afford ALL THE TIME. Theyd get abandoned, killed, sold off for menial labor, raised in abject poverty, suffer from malnutrition and disease, etc. I dont think those are good things.

I really have trouble accepting that the reasons for not having children are all self-centered. I do think a majority of the resistance is fear/concern about what type of life and whether you can be a good parent or not. Not everyone will be a good parent and they should not have children in that case. I can assure you that raising the child tax credit (3k is nothing compared to the cost of a child) and dependent care FSA (requires a job) isnt such a windfall that people will just start having kids.

[Anonymous]

Is there data on the proportion of childbearing age adults in long term/stable partnerships? My sense is that young people are not dating and getting to relationships like they used to. Probably a mixture of phones/social media and remote work. They aren’t having the same experiences in young adulthood as people did even 10 years ago.

[Anonymous]

My family is smaller than it would have been because of covid.

Everyone shouted about how selfish it was to assume I could rely on daycare and school to be a safe place for my kids to be while I work full-time.

Can't have another child if there are no reliable social structures.

[Anonymous]

I love this for America. When the boomers agree to help cover the cost of daycare and give every family money per month for each child, I'm sure the birth rate will go up. Right now, no one can afford it.

Want to know where we're headed? Take a look at South Korea. 150 elementary schools had NO FIRST GRADERS.
https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20240226050665

The birth rate there is .81 and in Seuol is .55.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-68402139

If you don't want this to be America's future, you had better start thinking of ways to incentivize larger families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of factors.

Women wanting a career more than a family.
Young people not wanting to marry let alone start a family.
Young people more interested in social media than actual human contact.
Egocentricity - more concerned with one's own needs and not wanting to worry about the needs of another.
The economy and unwillingness to sacrifice luxuries for the benefit of another.

The world does not need more humans. Having a baby is selfish and done to fulfill one's self. You are not making some grand sacrifice for the world, this is about you and yours.

If everyone stopped having babies, humans would cease to exist. Seems that is what you want.
Despite your beliefs, having children is a sacrifice. It is also a blessing and an experience so rewarding that those who choose to not have children will never experience.

There are way too many humans on this planet and we are killing it. I really worry what the earth will be like for my kids in 50 years.