It’s also really important to distinguish between two groups:
The child-free
The childless
I don’t have kids, didn’t want to have kids, and am happy with that outcome.
I’d imagine also that having more or fewer kids than you want, or more difficulty in having them than people assume they ‘should’ have, will also have significant effects. And I would imagine, setting aside finances, that raising kids starting when you’re in your early 20s and have more energy is a very different and more pleasant experience than having kids in your late 30s or 40s.
Also, when you are in your 20s, people keep telling you that there is enough time, and maybe you think like “1 or 2 kids is the right number”. Then you have kids in your 40s and realize that actually you would prefer to have 3 or 4 kids… but now it’s too late.
Having kids earlier has the advantage that you can still change your mind about how many. Leaving it for later limits your options. Many people probably do not realize this.
Definitely agreed on this especially:
I don’t have kids, didn’t want to have kids, and am happy with that outcome.
I’d imagine also that having more or fewer kids than you want, or more difficulty in having them than people assume they ‘should’ have, will also have significant effects. And I would imagine, setting aside finances, that raising kids starting when you’re in your early 20s and have more energy is a very different and more pleasant experience than having kids in your late 30s or 40s.
Also, when you are in your 20s, people keep telling you that there is enough time, and maybe you think like “1 or 2 kids is the right number”. Then you have kids in your 40s and realize that actually you would prefer to have 3 or 4 kids… but now it’s too late.
Having kids earlier has the advantage that you can still change your mind about how many. Leaving it for later limits your options. Many people probably do not realize this.
Or that even if it’s possible later, it will on average take longer, cost more, involve more medical care, and increase risks of various kinds.