There’s no doubt that parenthood is a transformative experience that provides immense personal fulfillment. However, building a family isn’t the be-all and end-all. It’s still possible to create a rich, fulfilling life without having kids. Here are 7 pros of being happily childless.
1. Financial Stability
Saying that kids are expensive is an understatement! It can cost up to $430,00 to raise a child from birth to adulthood. No wonder 55% of parents have gone into debt to cover child-related expenses. Although most parents don’t regret this decision, taking on debt can interfere with their financial goals and stability. Paying down loans or credit cards makes it harder to save for retirement and major purchases like a new car.
Happily childless adults have more disposable income to spend on themselves. They often have room in their budgets for travel, hobbies, dining out, and charitable donations. Plus, it’s easier for them to build wealth without kids draining their wallets. While money isn’t everything, the financial stability happily childless adults enjoy makes life less stressful.
2. More Time to Socialize
It’s a common misconception that people without kids are lonely. However, happily childless people have fewer obligations and more room in their schedules for socializing. Without child-rearing duties, they’re free to grab drinks with colleagues after work and meet up with friends for dinner on weekends. Thanks to their extra free time, childless people can cultivate strong relationships with friends and loved ones while still enjoying ample alone time.
Parents, on the other hand, are often stretched thin. Especially when their kids are young, they may barely have time for self-care, let alone meet-ups with friends.
3. Greater Career Success
According to LendingTree, 25% of parents say they’ve sacrificed their education or career for their kids. Due to the high cost of childcare, many parents stay at home to take care of their children. This creates a gap in their resume that can hurt their future career prospects. Parents who remain in the workforce are often unable to devote as much time to their jobs due to caregiving responsibilities. As a result, they may be passed over for promotions and lose out on salary growth.
Childless workers have more time to devote to overtime, career development, and upskilling, enabling them to climb the corporate ladder faster. Thanks to their extra free time and disposable income, they may even be able to become entrepreneurs. Ultimately, it’s easier to have a successful career and build wealth when you don’t have children.
4. Location Flexibility
Parents often have less location flexibility than happily childless adults. It takes a village, so couples with children may need to live near family who can provide babysitting. Parents also have to consider the quality of local school districts when deciding where to live. And since kids require a stable living environment, moving around too much can be out of the question.
Although relocating is still costly for childless singles, they have much more location freedom. If they get an exciting job offer across the country, they don’t have to consider anyone else’s needs before accepting it. Their extra disposable income can also make it easier to save up for a big move or sabbatical. For example, being childless made it possible for Elizabeth Gilbert to board a plane to Italy and write her popular book Eat, Pray, Love.
5. Peace and Quiet
Children bring lots of love and joy into a household, but they also create a lot of noise. Young kids play loudly and ask lots of questions. After a long day at work, their boisterousness can be overstimulating. Plus, fighting between siblings can contribute to household noise.
Happy childless adults enjoy their peace and quiet and wouldn’t want to trade it. They get to sleep uninterrupted and wake naturally instead of being jolted out of bed by noisy kids. We love our beauty sleep, so this is one of the benefits of not having kids that we really appreciate.
6. Being the Cool Aunt or Uncle
Another benefit of remaining childless is that you get to play the role of the cool aunt or uncle. You can use your extra funds to spoil your nieces, nephews, and friends’ kids. Whenever you want to enjoy the company of littles, you can offer to babysit or take them on a fun outing. Then at the end of the day when they’re tired and cranky, you can send them back home to their parents. Being an auntie or uncle allows you to enjoy some of the upsides of parenthood without taking on all of the responsibility.
7. Less Stress
Child-free lifestyles are often less stressful than parenthood. Parents are always concerned about their children’s safety, school performance, and overall well-being. Childless people don’t have dependents relying on them and only have to worry about themselves. People without kids also have more time to devote to exercise, meditation, and other self-care activities, which boosts their well-being compared to parents.
Do What’s Right For You
Both parenthood and child-free lifestyles have benefits and drawbacks. For that reason, deciding whether or not to have kids is a deeply personal decision. No one else can tell you which lifestyle will make you happier. It’s up to you to weigh the pros and cons and determine which path is right for you based on your unique circumstances.