re: Unmarried women with no kids are the happiest population subgroup, expert says

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In your 20’s and 30’s I think it’s pretty normal to get why having no kids is a lot more spontaneously fun and free. I think later on in life you start realizing that while traveling and boozing/socializing has its fun, at that point you could be experiencing the world with your children, which is amazing.

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As a 34 year old father of three, being childless left me considerably more consistently happy. But fatherhood has probably had higher highs of happiness than being married and childless. Lower lows too. And way less consistently content. I often feel overwhelmed and anxious due to being a father. It is way fricking harder than anything else I’ve ever done. Law school and the practice of law are a joke compared to trying to raise three kids three years old and younger. In fact, work is a break from parenthood.

And I do have regrets sometimes. Sometimes I wish I didn’t have the kids. But I only want them gone for a few days. I can’t picture not having them long term. Or even for more than a week. It’s a weird balance.