I’ve noticed a trend between my friends and I; we aren’t obsessed with getting married and having babies! Who would’ve thought? When I was little, starting a family was all I could think of. It was a part of life! The natural next step in growing up and getting older. Go to school, graduate, find a husband, have kids, and live happily ever after. All of these things were crucial parts to living a full and happy life, or at least that’s what I was taught.
It turns out, one can have a full and happy life without starting a family!
I’ve found that most of my friends are more focused on finding a stable job than a husband. Yes, you read that right! In the past, women have spent more time searching for happiness, instead of finding it themselves. But, times are changing! Women aren’t letting themselves be limited by stereotypes. They’re getting their degrees, working on their careers, and most importantly, achieving their own success!
Women are no longer rushing to get married and have children. According to an article published in PewResearchCenter, “Significantly more American women are now ending their childbearing years without having borne a child than was the case 30 years ago.” Women are still having children, but the percentage has greatly decreased. “In 2008, 1.9 million women ages 40-44 were childless, compared with nearly 580,000 in 1976,” wow!
Why are more women deciding to not have children? What’s changed? In the past, the only job a woman had was to reproduce
. But not anymore! We have options, so many options. Personally, I don’t want children until later on in life. I want to be established and comfortable in my personal relationships before bringing a child into the world. And I’m not alone:
“I don’t think I’ll have the necessary wisdom to have a child until I’m well into my 30’s.”
“I want to be married for at least 5 years before I even start thinking about kids.”
“Kids are a huge responsibility! I need to make sure I am willing to take on that responsibility.”
“My husband and I want to be as stable as possible before having children. We also want to make sure we have lived our lives together before having kids.”
Like I said, women have more options. Having kids isn’t all we are capable of doing! Children are a miracle that shouldn’t be rushed into without a thought and I’m happy that more women are thinking before doing.
