Furthermore, the study reveals that having this much-hyped first baby harms happiness levels far more than former titans of misery including divorce, unemployment, and death of a partner. The study explores how becoming a parent affects personal happiness, particularly how a drop in personal satisfaction during the year after a first child’s birth affects the decision to have a second child.
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Although it seems like a very joyous time in a couple’s life, and it is at first, having a child can result in strong negative impacts for new parents, according to a Washington Post report.
The main goal of the study was to explore why the birthrate in many developed countries has dropped and remained low, and why there is often a disparity between how many children people say they want and how many they have.
If a new study on German couples is any indication, having children may not guarantee the happiness couples set out find in matrimony.
There was the study out of Princeton University and Stonybrook University in June 2013, which found that in areas of the world with higher fertility, i.e. more children, there was a marked decrease in happiness.
In terms of ‘what was the point of the research?’, the survey was conducted in light of the very low birth rate in Germany.
Nonetheless, for the past 40 years, the birth rate remained at the same level – 1.5 children per woman.
That reaction is a stark contrast to the swarm of support from friends and family in situations usually perceived to be more distressing.
On average, the happiness of new parents dropped by 1.4 units.
This drop in perceived happiness turns out to be larger than that experienced during major negative life events such as divorce, which causes a 0.6 unit drop, or unemployment and the death of a partner, which each lead to a 1 unit drop.
They found that older, more educated parents are less likely to have a second child if they experience a decline in their personal happiness.
“Before having children, potential parents do not know first-hand what is involved with parenting or how it will be for them”, added the researchers.
“There is more or less a taboo regarding the well being of new parents,” Professor Myrskylä said.
If they’re being honest, most mothers will tell you that no matter how badly you want a child, the transition to parenthood is hard. They should also be brief with realistic expectations while they are on the way of welcoming a new member in the family.
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Now what pollster would ever ask the public: “Which is worse?”
