One possibility is that people who have more children are more likely to be invested in their families, and more deeply committed to parenthood. Familism isn't a strong enough force to actually make parents happier than nonparents, but it does seem to offset the negative effects of parenthood.
Essentially, the evidence we have suggests that having children can make you happier. It also can make you feel unhappy, or constantly stressed, or anxious, and so on. Overall, it seems like having children makes your emotional experiences more intense than if you don't have them.
Four is the magic number
In a study conducted by Dr Bronwyn Harman from the Edith Cowan University in Perth, it was found that parents with four or more children are the happiest parents.
Want to be a happier parent? Grow your family to at least four children! According to a study out of Australia's Edith Cowan University, parents with the most life satisfaction (which means those who are the happiest) are those that have four or more children. Dr.
Three or more children = wrong
Despite the growing trends mentioned above, two children still seems to the ideal number. An actual study revealed one to two children is the ideal number for “happiness”, but with two you don't have to deal with the aforementioned only child issues.
But if you are wondering what is the "best number of kids" to have, and at least want to take into consideration what seems to work best for other people and why, at least consider the magic number two.
A Couple's First Two Kids Make Them Briefly Happier; the Third Not So Much. Parents often say that nothing compares to the joy of welcoming their new baby into the family. But all newborns are not equal in the happiness they bring mom and dad, according to a new study published in the journal Demography.
The secret to a happy family
Well, it turns out that two is in fact the magic number… 49% of you told us that two children is the secret recipe for the perfect happy family. This was followed by 14% voting three and 9.5% for one.
Stress. A TODAYMoms.com survey of more that 7,000 mothers found that the least stressful number of kids is four, while the most stressful number is three. Scary Mommy blogger Jill Smokler told Today that she wholeheartedly agrees. “Going from one to two was an easy, breezy transition,” she said.
According to the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and Western University in Canada, having a third baby won't make you any happier. While parents' happiness increases in the year before and after the first and second children, the birth of third children doesn't see the same increased happiness.
Well, a new study out of Australia's Edith Cowan University is turning all these conventions on their heads with the conclusion that parents with four or more kids are the happiest.
Here, researchers tracked people over 20 years and found that parents were actually happier after the birth of their second baby. With their first child, life satisfaction dipped for several years, then increased to levels higher than before. But a second child steadily increased happiness.
When it comes to who is happier, parents or child-free people, most of the research up until now has concluded that it is the childless who are more satisfied with their overall lives.
Research has shown the vast majority of relationships change after having a baby. A 2021 study from the University of Born showed that, on average, relationship satisfaction fluctuates over time – and declines during the first 10 years of being together – whether couples are parents or not.
The decision to have children is personal, and should not be taken lightly. So many people feel like they have to have kids because “it's just what you do.” There is always the chance that you will regret not having children. Having children, just in case, is a lot of work and responsibility.
Another study confirms that parents with four or more children are the least stressed, especially when compared to parents with three kids. Those fears with the first child get less and less as you go along. Turns out, four is the magic number for less stress and more happiness.
A gap of 3 years or more greatly reduces the chances of sibling rivalry. By this time the older child is secure in him or herself and quite independent. In addition, the mother's body is fully recovered from the challenges of pregnancy and birth of the first child.
Of course, as women age, the odds of conceiving also gradually lower. The ideal childbearing age is often considered to be in the late 20s and early 30s. Pregnancies later in life could come with some health risks.
While, according to a TODAY Parents survey1, having three kids may be the most stressful, it doesn't mean that being a mom to three doesn't totally rock. You don't just have one kiddo to love, you have three and three kids that get to grow up and experience all the adventures of childhood together.
For a 75% chance of conceiving three children without IVF, the data suggests starting aged 31, and for a 50% chance of having three babies without any fertility treatment, you'd need to start trying at 35. With the assistance of IVF, those ages get pushed back.
It's okay if two kids is way harder than you thought. Researchers found that having a second child puts a lot of pressure on parents' time and their mental health, and mothers bear the brunt of the burden. People often say that having a second child doesn't much add to the workload of parenting.
It's subtle, but it seems the more siblings a person has, the likelier they are to be happy. Sibling related happiness seems to even out past three siblings, but it's interesting to note that that the “3” response group also features the largest “Unhappy” response.
You can actually enjoy what's precious about each stage. By the time you have three kids, you realize just how fast it all goes. Your third baby brings so much pure joy—unlike the first time around when that joy was mixed with nervousness and worry about if you were doing it right.
According to some random online survey, the most stressful number of kids to have is three. In fact, having four is supposed to be less stressful than three kids.