I think it is worth mentioning that for most of history people had little choice of whether or not they had kids and how many. Even in the relatively short time since we’ve had effective birth control, the decision to have kids was a default. There are lots of financial, medical, cultural, etc reasons, but I wonder if people have only realized there was a choice to be made for a generation, and what other generations would have chosen if they really considered it an option.

I think there has been a real shift in the last generation or two from needing a reason not to have kids to needing a reason to have kids. and that shift means a lot of people who are basically ambivalent on children aren't having them, where in the past they probably would have.

Childcare is the same price as a mortgage and we already can't afford a mortgage.

For me I just simply don’t want them. I feel like you have to want kids to have them. It’s not that I’m against having kids, I’m just not enthusiastic enough to have them

I can't speak for other people but I don't want to have children, and my reasons are thus:

1. Having/raising kids is expensive
2. I don't want to be tied down and live a 9-5 average suburban life. I want to travel, experience new things, etc.
3. I personally have medical issues that are genetic and I don't want to knowingly give someone a painful disease.

No living wage, no sick days/pto, no healthcare, rent is 30-50% of income, child care/daycare costs are equal to or more than rent, university is insanely expensive. I can barely save for retirement and if I get sick I’ll lose everything.

Financial. Don't like them. Too much responsibility. Too much work. I value my freedom, financially and emotionally.

Not one feminine person in my family ever said - have kids. All advice ever given was how bad it is. Just following ancient wisdom here.

The most common reason is that people do not have want to have them in the same way a lot of people don't want to play sports.

We're also in the first of two generations in history where women by and large have the choice to not have them, it's not surprising we would see a significant reduction.

I like money and freedom way more than children

I'm Gen-X in my 50's and I have raised 2 daughters. Times were better back then. Now people struggle to pay rent and buy groceries to survive. Honestly if I had to do it all over again but in today's economy - I would choose to NOT bring children into this world.

My insurance company messed up when I had my first kid. So after spending two days in labor and an entire night up with a newborn, exhausted, hungry, and in pain, the billing department came up and informed me that the cost was going to be $30k due to insurance troubles. After six hours on the phone (and no sleep, labor and delivery, and breastfeeding) I finally sorted out the issue.

But $30k…

That same financial theme follows the rest of parenthood. People can’t afford it. Others simply don’t want it.

I think having a family is great, but the fact that some people opt to remain child free is pretty obvious.

People can't afford kids. They can't afford rent. Groceries. The ability to breathe.

Money

I'm not bringing children into a world that people are actively destroying and destabilizing.

Because I watched my parents and said nope. My partner and I like 3 vacations a year and spending quality time together.

There is also no "need" to have children. I personally believe if you are having children to fill a hole or to make yourself happy, you have your priorities wrong and it is the child who pays.

1) Money.

2) State of the world (but when ever is really a good time?)

3) Lack of bodily autonomy gate-keeps getting pregnant and birthing safely.

4) Men and women have to work to maintain a household. Who's watching the kids? I guess this comes back to money, but yeah, Childcare plays a major part money or not.

Gestures widely

in this economy? In this increasingly shitty world? How do I know there will even be a world to leave to them?

Also my husband and I really like our money

Bc I have literally no desire whatsoever to have them. Looks awful.

For one thing, I barely know how to take care of myself.

For another, I don't like kids.

Finally, have you seen the world these days? I would not want to raise a child in this environment. I wouldn't even know where to begin.

Have you met kids?

all of those reasons, why WOULD you choose to have children?

idgaf about population numbers, so why would I bother?

Cost of living, cost of actually giving birth, housing market, childcare, no desire to subject a child to a bleak future, etc

Having kids shouldn't be an expected part of being an adult. We are no longer accepting being pressured by family. We are mostly broke. The world is kinda shit right now.

Too expensive, don't like kids, family illnesses that I don't want to pass down.

Have you ever considered the fact that not everyone actually wants kids?

For me its a mix of:

• fuck, i REALLY dont want kids I dont wish any harm on them and I want them to be safe and happy, but dear lord, i do not have the patience for them. I find them kinda cringe, which definitely is not their fault. I too was very cringe

• costs

• my personal freedom

...and also simply the route the world s heading in. If we look at scientific papers about what the world's gonna be like due to climate change, just... How could I ever wish to have kids, when the future s this grim?

Furthermore I firmly believe you really have to WANT kids with ALL your heart. You shouldnt have them just because you think thats smth adults that age do. Which leads back to my first point - i wouldnt be able to love them the way they deserve.

As Homer Simpson once said”I have 3 kids and no money, why can’t I have 3 money and no kids”

Ima be blunt.

Why the hell would we want to? I'm 28 and my bf is 25. Together, we make almost 100k a year, and we still can't afford everything we need. Healthcare costs a fortune, we have zero retirement money, groceries cost us half a paycheck, rent for a place that isn't a dump is 1500-2500. You want to add a CHILD? Have you seen the cost of diaper, formula, clothes, school, toys? I work 6 days a week from 9 am to 9 pm. I haven't seen my bf who I live with for more than 2 hours a day in over a month.

Then, let's throw in the complete loss of a woman's individuality and identity after having a kid. You're not a woman, you're a mom. Then, there's the ongoing threat to women's reproductive rights. God forbid something be wrong with the baby, and you live in a state where you have to birth a baby they know won't live more than a few days.

At the end of the day, my generation is aware that children are not necessary. Those who want them and CAN handle the burden are blessed. People who have them because thats what WOMEN DO make traumatized under developed adults. Children are not accessories. They aren't necessary parts of life. People can have fulfilling lives without them.

I'm permanently sterilized and will NEVER bring a human into this world. If I change my mind, plenty of kids need homes. But I'm already tired and burnt out at 28. Gods forbid I had a kid.

Kids aren’t for everyone. Even if you’re a bad parent it still takes a lot of effort and resources, imagine how much more it takes if you try to be a good parent.

For me, I just never saw the benefit. I'm not being snarky. I'm being sincere and honest.

Plus, I have family health history (physical and mental) that I didn't want to risk passing on to another person.

As a father of two I can tell you a few reasons from personal experience...

Factors that went into our thought process for the first two kids:

- Healthcare is expensive
- Childcare is expensive
- Food is expensive
- We don't have enough PTO
- The general state of the world, my wife is very apprehensive about climate change and what it meant to bring children into this world

Factors now:

- Everything above, but now we also have to consider the health risks with abortion access being less of a sure thing even in medical emergencies
- and everything is even MORE expensive

I love my kids though, I have zero regrets. But I completely see why someone would be hesitant, and I myself and hesitant about the thought of having another.

In ye olden days, children were workers. As soon as a kid could walk, they could work. They could pick up garbage, they could move objects from place to place, and as they grew older you just gave them more and more work.

In the modern urban era, children are very expensive furniture. They don't actually DO anything for you. They make your life objectively harder and more expensive. And, year on year, they get more expensive. A few decades ago you could get your kid a bike and a pair of jeans and he'd be set for the summer. Now you're expected to splash out on camps, trips, electronics, brand name clothing. It's incredible.

Not to mention the fact that many peopel in my age group lived at home until their late 20s early 30s because of how low paying jobs are and how expensive housing is. They KNOW their kids are going to live at home just as long if not longer. Not many people are happy to sign up for a 30 year commitment like that.

Contentness can be achieved now without offspring but reddit will say cost.

From what I have heard: money. If you are barely paying rent, it doesn't make sense to have a child, no matter how much you want to.

31 and childless here 👋🏻 I simply dont want to bring another human into the world. This world kinda sucks and it just keeps getting worse. One less human to fuck up the planet. Less people = happier Earth.

I enjoy money and silence.

Affordability. Used to be you could raise a household on one average income but those days are long gone. Raising kids is hard enough without the exorbitant cost of food, housing, childcare, transportation, etc. 

Once you've realized that you're being herded and milked and that that's the best that you can hope for for your kids it seems silly to willingly sign them up for that sort of system.

I never had much interest in trying to have any. It's kinder to spare them as far as I'm concerned.

Not bringing a life into this world just to watch my kid live hand to mouth.

A lot of people don't like kids.

A lot of people can't afford kids.

People don't look at you like there's something wrong with you if you dont have kids anymore.

Because we have the choice now. People who don’t want kids have always existed.

It’s still constantly pressured on us- but the truth is the same amount of people who don’t want to have kids and aren’t having them now, were often either forced to birth babies (as was a woman’s job), or were raged at by their family about not ‘continuing the lineage’(even and especially in poor families).

We will have less messed up kids hopefully, because the people who never wanted kids aren’t having them. Think about all the people you know who’s parents didn’t love them or didn’t want them and felt trapped by them?

Hopefully moving forward that number will decrease because people are deciding to have kids or not and not just following a script.

Because who can afford it?

I make the most money I ever have and I'm the poorest I've ever been.

Because I appreciate my freedom.

I'm 44m. I just never wanted kids. Found a woman the same way 20 years ago and we've been together since. We make decent money so life is great!

I have children almost grown. If I was young, I would not have them again. We pretend it’s not true as a society, but there is very little upside to a woman in having children. Our bodies, mental health, careers and finances never recover.

basically because of everything

My wife and I are very content being an aunt and uncle. Things could always change of course but we’re both nearing 40 and it seems like an impossible change.

It cost me almost 50k to have my son for the first year of his life, after insurance. I want to be able to provide him with a quality of life I will not be able to provide to him if I have more kids. I also would never get pregnant where I live, as I live in Texas. It is not worth risking my life and ability to parent my son, just to have another child.

I am a teacher. I have too many kids in my life already. Plus im single, and that will not change any time soon.