The funny thing about kids is that they in equal measure can bring you to your knees from exhaustion, worry and frustration (ever tried to watch a toddler who wants to dress himself actually dress himself?!), and yet they also make you feel happiness in a way you have never felt it before.
And although we can all agree that there are few jobs more stressful than being a parent, it seems the happiness factor outweighs the stress and worry for all of us.
According to two studies in the US, earlier findings that parents are more depressed and less happy than their child-free counterparts are simply not true.
One study looked at 130,000 adults (of that number, 52,000 were parents). Researchers looked at parent happiness levels before they had kids and after they had kids. Experts found that parents’ dissatisfaction levels weren’t worse after they had kids. The study found that
parents were happier when they were getting ready for baby and during the first year after baby’s birth.
The second study analyzed surveys of 120,000 adults between 1972-2008 and found that while parents were more dissatisfied than non-parents in 1985-1995, between 1995-2008 parents were happier (the happiness levels of non-parents declined.)
What do YOU think, guys? Are YOU happier now than before the kids came along? Or same-same? Let us know in the comments or tweet us at @Herfamilydotie
