Want to be happy? Sterilize yourself.

[AKIron]

And then what do you do if your wife goes on Springer, says YOUR kids are really the mailmans, and the very next day you hit the Mega-Lotto for 200 million $ ?

What then?

You could adopt me. 

[68Wooley]

...I think that the people who never had kids think they are happy because they have no point of reference...

Pretty condescending there Lazs - its perfectly possible to lead a happy and fulfilling life without kids.

Let me put it another way - how would you react if I were to say "people who's lives are fulfilled by children must have been leading pretty empty lives beforehand"?

[Angus]

I'm pretty much sure that Lazs would say the same as me......you don't know what you're talking about!
BTW, you folks must also remember that for you to be here, means that your parents had a kid or more.....

[Sandman]

wow... newsweek is for the breakup of the family?  whod'a thunk?

Next you will be telling me that they are a liberal socialist rag!   Can't believe anyone still reads that trash.

The pain that children cause us is far outweighed by what they give us.   I think that the people who never had kids think they are happy because they have no point of reference.

lazs

It helps to actually read the article.

In Daniel Gilbert's 2006 book "Stumbling on Happiness," the Harvard professor of psychology looks at several studies and concludes that marital satisfaction decreases dramatically after the birth of the first child—and increases only when the last child has left home. He also ascertains that parents are happier grocery shopping and even sleeping than spending time with their kids. Other data cited by 2008's "Gross National Happiness" author, Arthur C. Brooks, finds that parents are about 7 percentage points less likely to report being happy than the childless.

I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that neither Gilbert nor Brooks work for Newsweek.

[68Wooley]

I'm pretty much sure that Lazs would say the same as me......you don't know what you're talking about!

Exactly my point. My statement is stupid, but no more so than essentially saying you can't be happy unless you have kids.

BTW, you folks must also remember that for you to be here, means that your parents had a kid or more.....

True - but were they happier as a result? And given - in my case - they had us so young, did they ever have a chance to experience anything else to really know the difference?

[FiLtH]

 Ever notice its the people with kids that always say.."Oh..you dont have any kids yet? You gotta have kids!"

    Misery loves company.

     Im sure it has its moments, but I do know happiness. Happiness is being an uncle where I can go wind up my brother's and sister's kids,enjoy them until I get tired of it, say "See ya!" and go home and relax.

  It all comes down to **** control. Some of us have it, some dont. 

[Xasthur]

After you've sired all the kids you want, have a vasectomy.  Snip snip.  No more fretting about birth control. 

There are methods of birth control that do not require irreversible (or risk of being irreversible) surgery that are more effective than 'the snip' or having 'tubes tied'.

'Implanon' is a sustained release, progesterone based 'implant' that is the size of a match stick and is inserted just under the skin in the inside upper arm area.

It lasts 3 years. It is not affected by diet, other drugs or digestive problems like the contraceptive pill and is relatively painless. IIRC it is the most effective and safe birth control. Success rate is 99.9% and any side effects are usually minimal and are similar to that of the contraceptive pill.

[lazs2]

sandie..  the article was simply newsweek fishing the community till they found a couple of shrinks who agree with them.. they could easily have done the reverse of finding a couple of shrinks who are against the family.. but..their politics led them to that article.. it is not difficult to see the agenda.. this is the rag that called for all  man made global warming sceptics to be branded as blasphemers.. that one was so vitriholic and badly written that they had to retract the whole thing the next issue.. and it was a cover story.

in short.. you can find a behavioral study that says anything you want it to.. the ones you choose to "prove" a point is your agenda.

lazs

[lazs2]

68woolie...  I said no such thing.

I am merely pointing out that those who have no kids have no point of reference.  It is like a priest telling us how unfulfilling sex is.

I would point out that it is rare that anyone who has had kids.. no matter how badly it turned out.. ever says that they wish they had not...   If you have never had kids then how would you know?   As humans.. and especially Americans..  we love to bemoan our condition..  Kids are a trial but there are some things that they give us that we can't get any other way.

If you have never had kids then it is like trying to explain sex to a virgin.. the virgin may think that he is perfectly happy without it and.. overall.. he may be happier but.. he can't ever really  understand.

lazs

[Angus]

Hehe,,,
Nobody even mentioned that "kids" is just not about children. Normally your "kids" will be in your life untill you die.
In a good family, that is a very good thing.
So, I see young or relatively young guys here promoting this happy lifestyle. Now.....don't spread the word too much, for if you do so successfully, there won't be any babes around in a while