Does having children make you happy? It is an old debate between people who are intentionally childless and parents. Most studies point out that people without children are happier with their lives than parents, but these studies only look at the period in which parents are really ‘active parents’ and thus have a greater lack of money, sleep and free time. However, new research suggest that everyone wins.
Researchers of the University of Heidelberg wondered whether the situation is different for parents with children who have already left their home. They analysed research data from a large European survey that measures the well-being of 55,000 people over the age of 50. This shows that people with children who left their parents’ house are more satisfied with their lives and show fewer symptoms of depression than their peers without children.
The hypothesis of the research, that children who have left the family home form a social network and offer their parents fun and meaningful contacts and support, is correct according to Ruut Veenhoven, Happiness Professor at Erasmus Happiness Economics Research Organisation (EHERO). ‘We also see this in Dutch research. Social contact is very decisive for happiness. And at a later stage, children are usually in close contact with their parents, but without the care. Moreover, children often take care of their parents. The difference is most noticeable among the very elderly. Older parents really experience a lot more life satisfaction. You could say that children are a long-term investment.’
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Read the entire article of De Morgen, 19 August 2019 (in Dutch).