Parenthood is worse than divorce, unemployment, the death of a partner.
So says the Washington Post, per a study published in the August 2015 issue of Demography. The Post notes “on average, the effect of a new baby on a person’s life in the first year is devastatingly bad — worse than divorce, worse than unemployment and worse even than the death of a partner.”
Most couples expect it to go the other way, of course. There’s a lot of hope, of dreaming, that comes with the birth of a child. But parenthood, as the researchers document, is hard on those expectations. And on relationships.
The study, conducted on 2,016 Germans without children at the time the study began, also noted that most couples wanted at least two children. But following the birth of their first child, that desire diminished. Maybe ‘reality’ set it. Expectations didn’t stand up to the rigors of parenting.
So, what we’re really trying to say is we know it’s hard. If you’re struggling, we can help. We’re good listeners. Helping people talk about sadness, or conflict, or the loss of expectations is what we do best. If you’re a parent, and you need someone to talk to, please give us a call: 503-273-8255.
We’d love to help.