One in twelve parents say they regret having children
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But many parents, and younger ones in particular, wish they’d had more kids.
By Eir Nolsoe
Online forums such as Mumsnet, Reddit and Quora are full of threads with guilt-ridden parents who desperately ask if anyone else regrets having children too.
YouGov data shows that while the vast majority of parents (83%) insist they’ve never felt this way, a small number admit to it. One in twelve parents (8%) say they regret having children, while another 6% have previously had regrets but don’t now.
While there’s no difference between mothers and fathers, younger parents aged 25 to 34 are the most likely to feel regretful, with one in five either rueing their choice (13%) or having done so (9%).
Those aged 55+, for most of whom tantrum-throwing toddlers and sleep deprivation are a fading memory, are the least woeful. Only one in ten are unhappy with their decision to have children (6%) or have questioned it in the past (4%).
Among the 8% of parents who still regret having kids, 5% say it’s ...
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