Image courtesy of Pexels
As societal norms undergo changes, generational cohorts such as Gen X (1965-1980) and Gen Z (1997-2012) have different views and perspectives on various aspects of life, including parenthood. Recently, there have been more opportunities for Gen Z to be independent. Young women can get increasingly more job opportunities than ever before, allowing them to create a stable, independent life for themselves. Another key difference between these two generations is the societal norms that take place in each period: Gen X and millennials grew up with the expectation of traditional family structures and parenthood was often seen as an essential part of adulthood. However, Gen Z has grown up in a society where diverse family models are encouraged.
The decision to have children is not solely based on societal expectations or being able to provide for them, it’s also about the individual motivations and life goals that newer generations have normalized wanting to accomplish. Gen Z, for example, thinks having children hinders them and slows their life goals down. According to a survey conducted by Ruby Home that had just over 1,000 Gen Zers explain why they didn’t want kids, 86% of respondents said they didn’t want to have children because of the increased flexibility they would have without them. Additionally, 84% of respondents who didn’t want kids wanted to spend their money on traveling instead.
Sophomore Bailey Lanier agreed, she said, “Generally, I don’t want kids because I think they are tough to deal with. But more importantly, when I earn money from my future job and travel I just want that to be for myself. I want to be able to do whatever I want when I want to without having to worry about my children at home.”
Economic factors also contribute to many people’s decisions to abstain from having children, one of which being the increase of property value. As inflation continues to impact our economy, it will get even harder to buy property for newer generations like millennials and Gen Z. According to a study by CalMatters.org, in the late 1960s the average California home cost about three times the average household’s income. Today, it costs more than seven times what the average household makes. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, about half of California renters had more than half of their rent paid towards their mortgage according to the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.
In this economic period, there has also been a rise in mental health issues among teens. The emotional toll of managing one’s health may lead some individuals to prioritize their well-being and choose not to have children to focus on self-care and personal recovery.
The emotional toll of managing one’s health may lead some individuals to prioritize their well-being and choose not to have children to focus on self-care and personal recovery.
Sophomore Hailey Hintze shares similar reasons for not wanting children, citing her anxiety and mood swings as major concerns. “I honestly just don’t think I would be a good parent. I’m highly anxious and I have constant mood swings.” She continued, “These things make me very irritable and provoke me to handle certain situations in a negative way, so I think that would drastically impact my kids and their environment in the future.” she concluded.
Another main problem that leads today’s newer generations to not have kids is the perspective of not wanting to bring kids into an unsafe and unstable world. Safe Home found that between 2021 and 2022, the violent crime rate in the U.S. has only fallen by one percent. Another statistic by the same organization shows that property crime has risen by seven percent. One student said, “The thought of bringing in children to such a depressing, violent, and unstable state of society is something that just doesn’t sound right to me, especially the unfolding economic conflicts and tensions that could impact our future living conditions.”
Newer generations seem to be breaking the societal pressures of the past to start a family. The high cost of living, the mental health issues, and the need for personal time are driving the decisions of many young teens to not have kids in the future. Aspects of success even without children seem unattainable, which only furthers the dread of having kids. However, as teenagers grow up, they may change their minds about having children. The desire for personal freedoms such as travel and individual goals often take priority over starting a family. The decision of many Gen Zers to not have children is likely to influence upcoming generations, potentially creating a bigger generational gap.
