Report: kids suck

[Hammock Parties]

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/43675...tml?source=rss

Study: Parents exaggerate joy of parenthood (Toronto Sun)


By LEVI PULKKINEN
SEATTLEPI.COM STAFF

A Canadian university study found that parents often overstate the rewards of child rearing to justify the costs, according to a Toronto Sun report.

Researchers at Ontario's University of Waterloo found that parents who'd been shown the financial costs of raising children were more likely to talk about the happiness their kids deliver, according to the Sun report. Parents shown the long-term benefits of procreation -- chiefly support in old age -- were less inclined to do so.

According to the Sun report:

The testing measured their idealization of parenthood while also looking at their discomfort and uneasiness during the course of the reading and interview questions.

"Although raising children has largely negative effects on parents' emotional well-being, parenthood is often idealized as a uniquely emotionally rewarding role," the study says.

Previous research has found during the years most people spend parenting, they tend to report lower life satisfaction and less happiness.

Click the following link for the whole story on parenting happiness, or lack thereof.

Parents often exaggerate the joys of parenthood as a way to mentally justify how much money the kids are costing them, a new study says.

Researchers at the University of Waterloo found the rewards of raising children are often a myth.

The researchers divided 80 parents into two groups.

One group was given reading material that says it costs about $185,000 to raise a child to 18. The other group was asked to read about the long-term benefits of being a parent, including financial and practical support in old age.

In follow-up interviews, the parents who were asked to read about the cost of children were more likely to talk about the happiness their children bring to their lives and to say they enjoy spending time with them.

The testing measured their idealization of parenthood while also looking at their discomfort and uneasiness during the course of the reading and interview questions.

"Although raising children has largely negative effects on parents' emotional well-being, parenthood is often idealized as a uniquely emotionally rewarding role," the study says.

Previous research has found during the years most people spend parenting, they tend to report lower life satisfaction and less happiness.

The idealization is a form of psychological defence parents use to cope with the downsides, the researchers say.

Idealizing parenthood is a modern phenomenon, the researchers argue. It developed during the 20th century as children began to play a less important role in helping earn a family's income and performing labour at home.

But while children are contributing less to a household, they are costing more to raise, the study says.

"Our findings help to resolve this paradox by demonstrating that the costs of raising children motivate parents to idealize parenthood," the study argues.

The study is published in the journal Psychological Science.

[Dayze]

get yo' popcorn ready.

[Donger]

Duh, losing. The is aboot Canadian kids.

[DTLB58]

Originally Posted by ClayWhit

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/43675...tml?source=rss

I love my kids dearly, but I wouldn't tell my kids to have kids these days. With all the crap in schools, the rate of divorce, it is really stressful.

[salame]

not winning

[Dayze]

at this point, it's either plan for retirement, or have kids at this point. we probably should tried to have kids earlier etc, but oh well.

we're turning 34/35 this summer and while not 'old' etc, I don't think I want to go down the road of parenthood. we wouldn't be in a decent position to do so financially for another 4-5 years at least. by that point.....pass. I want to retire someday.

I'm stressed out and broke as is. lol

[Sofa King]

Originally Posted by Dayze

at this point, it's either plan for retirement, or have kids at this point. we probably should tried to have kids earlier etc, but oh well.

we're turning 34/35 this summer and while not 'old' etc, I don't think I want to go down the road of parenthood. we wouldn't be in a decent position to do so financially for another 4-5 years at least. by that point.....pass. I want to retire someday.

I'm stressed out and broke as is. lol

Isn't that why people have kids? for government money?

[kepp]

Originally Posted by Dayze

I'm stressed out and broke as is. lol

Kids definitely do put a strain on the pocketbook.

[DTLB58]

For example I just spent an hour last night and another half hour today trying to convince my son (18) why it's a bad idea for him to take his gf (16) out of town 60 miles away to shop for her prom dress for a day.

No, I'm not putting my son in the position to have a minor female in his truck and in another town all day and maybe into the evening. Any number of things could happen or the girl could say happened.....

Her parent's haven't even signed off on it yet (I don't know why they would, I wouldn't) Makes me really wonder though cause he is extremly upset that me and his mother said NO! Yes he is 18 but he is still in HS, still lives at home, thus still has to ask for permission.

[4th and Long]

Another craptastic stroy from America's hat.

[CrazyPhuD]

How can you put a price on being able to say. 'I changed your shitty diapers, now you have to change mine!'

[wazu]

Originally Posted by Dayze

at this point, it's either plan for retirement, or have kids at this point. we probably should tried to have kids earlier etc, but oh well.

we're turning 34/35 this summer and while not 'old' etc, I don't think I want to go down the road of parenthood. we wouldn't be in a decent position to do so financially for another 4-5 years at least. by that point.....pass. I want to retire someday.

I'm stressed out and broke as is. lol

Always hear this. In my case it turned out to not be accurate. My wife and I went out all the time before kids. Kids made having dinner in a restaurant an arduous experience not worth the effort, so we eat at home now. The money saved more than offsets what the new expenses are so far.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Adam

Always hear this. In my case it turned out to not be accurate. My wife and I went out all the time before kids. Kids made having dinner in a restaurant an arduous experience not worth the effort, so we eat at home now. The money saved more than offsets what the new expenses are so far.

"My kids made the things we used to enjoy doing together intolerable, so now we don't do them...WIN!!"

I'm going to lose the argument with my wife and I'm going to lose it handily, but there's just no way you can convince me that children are anything other than a net neutral. Sure, they have some upsides, but they have absolute downsides as well and parents can't ever bring themselves to confess this fact (as it makes them seem somewhat unfit).

Anyone with an eye for reading people can see that there are many, MANY unhappy parents in the world.

[The Bad Guy]

29 year olds living at home with no real job suck.

[The Bad Guy]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

"My kids made the things we used to enjoy doing together intolerable, so now we don't do them...WIN!!"

I'm going to lose the argument with my wife and I'm going to lose it handily, but there's just no way you can convince me that children are anything other than a net neutral. Sure, they have some upsides, but they have absolute downsides as well and parents can't ever bring themselves to confess this fact (as it makes them seem somewhat unfit).

Anyone with an eye for reading people can see that there are many, MANY unhappy parents in the world.

Absolutely there are unhappy parents in this world. They are the ones who didn't think the whole situation through and thought of kids as more of a novelty instead of the massive responsibility that comes with them.

No way are kids ever a profitable sitaution unless they are filming commericals.