The Next Generation
Acrylic on Canvas/26″ by 20″/ $
Are Children a Matter of White Privilege?
Last week I wrote that 15 percent of American women do not have children and that 1.8 was the average birthrate for those who did. In 2016, that number represented an all time low, and if not for immigrants, the country’s population would be in decline. I also discussed reasons couples chose not to have a family and shared the pleasure I had from raising my brood of 5 and later, an adopted street youth.
Though most people said they liked the article (it was upbeat) and found the statistics interesting, one person surprised me. A woman I greatly respect said she didn’t enjoy the blog at all and that it sounded like white privilege. What? Her comment startled me and filled my thoughts the following week. So… I investigated further.
I started lookin at racial differences. In 2016, White and Asian women birthed fifty-one infants for every thousand women. Native Hawaiian, American Indian and Alaska Natives bore sixty per thousand, Hispanic women, fifty-eight and African-American fifty-four per thousand. During the past couple years birth rates fell among certain ethnic groups. Non-Hispanic white women gave birth to three percent fewer children. A two percent decline was seen among Hispanic and Asian women while the birthrate among Black, Native American and Hawaiian women didn’t change.
White, Hispanic and Asian women chose to have fewer children which made me wonder why. Do they view children as a burden or is something else going on? If the choice of whether to have children or not is influenced by wealth, age and education, why do those who can least afford children have larger families?
A majority of 20 year-olds working towards advanced degrees say they desire children but plan to wait until they are economically secure. They hope to finish school, establish a career, acquire a modicum of financial security, including access to good healthcare, and be able to live in a safe neighborhood before beginning a family. They’d like to travel and afford to pay for babysitters and preschool care.
Yet, by the time they’re in their thirties they’ve changed their minds. They like their independence, are immersed in their jobs and social activities, and are more reluctant to undertake the responsibility of parenthood. They mention childcare as being a major concern if both parents work. Those deciding to raise children are likely to be older and have fewer children than in past generations.
Surprisingly, minority, low-income and less educated twenty-year-olds are less likely to wait for financial security. Young adults living in low income neighborhoods have poor health care and limited income potential. Since they are in a continuous state of economic insecurity, they experience a high degree of stress due and a weak support network. It is not uncommon for young women to find themselves pregnant out of wedlock and wind up abandoned.
Their needs are great, yet they lack political representation in congress to help them out of poverty. Most couples can’t afford $10-$15 an hour for babysitting services, though all parents need relief to maintain sanity. I began to wonder if couples are happier with or without children and was pleased to find that researchers have looked at this very question.
According the the Washington Post, eight first world countries report couples with children as being happier than those without. They include Portugal, Hungary, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Finland, France and Russia (just barely). Eleven countries find childless couples happier. They are Ireland, Greece, Britain, New Zealand, Switzerland, Poland, Israel and four more, with the United States being last. On average, American parents are 12 percent less happy than childless couples. The reasons are obvious. Unlike European countries, we provide little assistance to families with young children. Raising children through high school is outrageously expensive ($284,570 on average). Wealthy couples paying for summer camps, college tuitions, and family vacations spend a great deal more.
In general, what I discovered is that though parenthood does not bring happiness, it does provide a sense of purpose, gives meaning to life, and stimulates social connections. The amount of pleasure a parent gets from their children is directly influenced by privilege. Countries that report couples as happier with children have paid parental leave, mandatory paid sick and vacation days, subsidized childcare, work-schedule flexibility. They provide an environment conducive to childrearing.
I now understand why touting the pleasures of parenthood might seem like I was promoting white privilege. Being a happy parent is not a matter of race, but it is a matter of education and economic stability which favor those who are white.
I was privileged to have adequate resources with which to raise my brood of kids. They continue to provide me with pleasure and comfort as I age. I would like this gift to be available to all who wish to bring a child into the world. To do so will take voters who value children and are willing to insure that every child has a good life.
Research:
Swanson, A. (2016) Many parent will say kids made them happier. They’re probably lying. Washington Post. retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/07/06/many-americans-will-tell-you-having-kids-made-them-happier-theyre-probably-lying/?utm_term=.1c878a9c565d
