“The most recent comprehensive study on the emotional state of those with kids shows us that the term “bundle of joy” may not be the most accurate way to describe our offspring. “Parents experience lower levels of emotional well-being, less frequent positive emotions and more frequent negative emotions than their childless peers,” says Florida State University’s Robin Simon, a sociology professor who’s conducted several recent parenting studies, the most thorough of which came out in 2005 and looked at data gathered from 13,000 Americans by the National Survey of Families and Households. “In fact, no group of parents—married, single, step or even empty nest—reported significantly greater emotional well-being than people who never had children. It’s such a counterintuitive finding because we have these cultural beliefs that children are the key to happiness and a healthy life, and they’re not.”

More at Newsweek on some evidence undermining one of the great mythologies of modern life.

Comment:

Mind you, despite what family-value adherents will tell you, you can’t call this a Christian mythology. The Gospels are pretty clear on that. Jesus even comes right out and says his values are…or can be…. pretty much opposed to the family. On the other hand, sociological surveys of the emotional states of random individuals aren’t exactly deep thinking either and they’re not likely to offer up much solid evidence one way or other.

Still, once in a while, it’s nice to see the childless off the hook and the fecund squirming to defend their choice.”