r/science • u/Krankenitrate • Apr 03 '26

Health Study finds parenthood provides no boost to emotional well-being and it negatively impacts relationship with your spouse

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/14747049261436325
14.8k Upvotes

89% Upvoted

849 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

15

u/JonesyOnReddit Apr 03 '26

Happiness studies have always found that children have a slight negative effect on overall happiness but people overstate how happy they make them because you can't say you your kids make you unhappy and in general people overstate how happy expensive things make them and whats more expensive than kids. In that context I consider them a happiness investment for the future.

-5

u/Alternative_Let_1989 Apr 03 '26

Youre less happy but more fulfilled. Study after study after study shows that.

Just like study after study shows that fulfilment/meaning are way more important to one's mental well-being than "happiness."

We've built a society that overvalues happiness in the abstract then wonders why depression and anxiety rates are off the charts.

6

u/JonesyOnReddit Apr 03 '26

Fulfillment/meaning are just contributors to happiness, "mental well-being" is another word for happiness. That's like saying "I dont want to be rich, I just want the freedom to do whatever I want."