More than at any prior time in history, people are choosing not to have children. Millennials have driven this trend, which is expected to increase with Generation Z. Here are 10 reasons Millennials aren’t having babies.
10. Age/Partner Doesn’t Want Kids
Some millennials are in a relationship with a partner who does not want children. For others, they may feel that they are too old to have children. Some may be unable to have children because of their age. For some, their primary care physician might have informed them that, should they become pregnant, it would be a high-risk pregnancy.
9. Lifestyle
There are many reasons a person may choose not to have children due to their lifestyle. It can be as simple as not wanting to change their lifestyle in the first place. Having a child might force them to give up their interests or pursuits. For others, their career may take up most of their time or they must travel constantly.
8. Desire to Travel
Many Millennials have foregone the traditional 9-to-5 working lifestyle in favor of a nomadic existence that allows them to combine work with travel and adventure. Others may have a job that allows them to take extended breaks for traveling. In any case, a lifestyle of frequent travel is not compatible with raising children.
7. Caretaking Responsibilities and/or Other Children in Their Lives
Some people are already responsible for taking care of other adults, such as parents or grandparents. Others may be involved in relationships in which their partner already has children they must care for. Others still, may have a career in which they care for others. Therefore, any free time they have is a refuge from caretaking.
6. Health or Medical Reasons
One of the top reasons people choose not to have children is for medical or health reasons. For some people, becoming pregnant could be a risk to their own health. For others, having to care for children would put their own well-being at risk. Their medical issues make them unsuitable for parenting. Still others, are unable to conceive.
5. Too Expensive
Sadly, some people feel they literally can’t afford to raise children. In the United States, the average cost of raising a child is around $250,000. This doesn’t include the cost of college. In more expensive areas of the country, this number can be significantly higher. The US is far from the only country experiencing this.
4. State of the World
Some people have so much anxiety about the state of the world that they feel bringing a child into it is not a good idea. They have an existential fear about the future, including pandemics, social political unrest, and economic challenges. A 2023 study found that fear over climate change is impacting fertility rates faster than any previous trend.
3. Environment
For many millennials, the number one driver of fear over having children is so-called “climate anxiety.” They feel a moral responsibility not to bring children into a world that is not sustainable and may not be livable. Further, they believe more people will use more resources and add to pollution and waste.
Read More: Ten Things People Don’t Know About Gen X
2. Career
For some people, their career is the most important thing in their lives. They devote most of their time and energy to their job. Having a child would prevent them from continuing their current level of engagement with their career. They may feel having children would prevent them from continuing to advance in their career or to be as effective.
Read More: 10 High-Paying Careers in Child Development
1. No Desire for Children
The top reason millennials aren’t having children is simply not having the desire to do so. They may be focused on their own careers, interests, or ambitions. They don’t want to dedicate 20 years of their life to raising a child. It may sound crass, but some people don’t like children very much. Others may feel they aren’t parental material.
Read More: 15 Ways Life is Different for Millennials than Baby Boomers
