Spirit of Elijah Strikes Again!
“But the most striking findings revolved around parenthood and age. Whether it is a function of exhaustion, bickering over diapers or something inherently unpleasant about raising little children, the data doesn’t say, but parents under 30 are decidedly less happy than their child-free peers. Then, once parents hit 40, the relationship reverses and people with children are cheerier than those without.
“The more, the merrier, too — at least for older parents. For people under 30, happiness declines with each additional child. Young parents of two are unhappier than young parents with one, and young parents of one child are unhappier than young people with no children. But with parents between the ages of 40 and 50, the number of children has no impact. And after 50, each child brings more joy.” (“Older Parents Find More Joy in Their Bundles,” New York Times)
John Mansfield
April 11, 2011
The hearts of the children turn to consider the happiness of their now-older-and-happier-than-they-would-be-childless parents, and realize turning hearts to the getting of their own children has some merit. Thus a smiting is ducked.
Vader
April 11, 2011
Another example where the trial of your faith precedes the blessing.
I missed the diaper stage, since my children were kidnapped in infancy and I was unable to locate them until they were already adults, but I did not miss the snarky kids think they know better than Dad stage. To be honest, Freud could have had a field day analyzing the Skywalker family dynamics.
G.
April 11, 2011
If the increase in happiness holds, its gonna be swell to be a 600-year old duffer in the big Mill.
Vader
April 11, 2011
I’d agree, but that would require me to assume I’d be resurrected in the first half of the big Mill.
I think a couple billion Alderaanians have prior dibs on the big R.
Bookslinger
April 15, 2011
“And after 50, each child brings more joy.”
That’s because people generally make better grand-parents than parents. At least it’s true for men.
Bookslinger
April 15, 2011
It was with an eye on that prinicple, more children = more happiness in _later_ life, that a friend of mine sought out and married a woman who wanted a _large_ family. They have 10 children.