Does Having Kids Make You Happy?

We’re always warned we’ll end up unhappy if we don’t have children, but a recent study’s shown that parents are no happier than non-parents - and that’s SCIENCE! Cue the pronatalist backlash from self-proclaimed experts, including a bunch of dumb dads, claiming that what we’re really missing out on is meaning. But what’s the purpose of “Purpose” if it doesn’t make you, or anyone else, happy? Listen in to hear the parental happiness myth busted, how you don’t have to earn your place on the planet and why hedonism is a good thing, actually 🍾Having children DOESN'T make you happy: Becoming a parent provides no boost to wellbeing, study claims – but it does ruin your relationshipDinky Podcast: stories from regretful parentsParents are not happier but have a greater sense of meaning in lifeWe are Childfree podcast: No regrets, with 78 year-old childfree trailblazer Marcia Drut-DavisAm I a happier person for having a child? It’s the wrong question to askWe are Childfree podcast: You are enough, with Dr Kate TomasJoin the waitlist for Hearth, an intimate live programme for childfree women who are ready to stop carrying the questions alone, and start finding answers together. Coming soon from We are Childfree!Support our mission of celebrating childfree lives by becoming a Dolly Patron. You’ll get full-length episodes of the pod, access to all our beautiful portraits, exclusive BTS from our journey, and more!Follow We are Childfree on Substack, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and LinkedIn.And find out more at wearechildfree.com Get full access to We are Childfree at wearechildfree.substack.com/subscribe

Meet Esther, 67, based in New Zealand. She's dedicated her life to teaching kids how to be curious and independent, and thinks of her students as her "lights in the world", her living legacy.Esther's come a long way from being adopted in Germany, and raised by neglectful parents who sought - unsuccessfully - to control her. She's travelled the world, campaigned for Greenpeace, championed underprivileged kids... and she says that every decade of her life just gets better!Hearing from childfree elders brings us so much hope and pride, and it's our pleasure to introduce you to the ever-inspiring Esther 💝Join the waitlist for Hearth, an intimate live programme for childfree women who are ready to stop carrying the questions alone, and start finding answers together. Coming soon from We are Childfree!Support our mission of celebrating childfree lives by becoming a Dolly Patron. You’ll get full-length episodes of the pod, access to all our beautiful portraits, exclusive BTS from our journey, and more!Follow We are Childfree on Substack, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and LinkedIn.And find out more at wearechildfree.com Get full access to We are Childfree at wearechildfree.substack.com/subscribe

A third of Gen Z men believe that a wife should always obey her husband. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! James takes us on a deep dive into young men’s attitudes about women, themselves and - most worryingly - gender equality. A survey that dropped on International Women’s Day shows how badly patriarchy drives men to hurt themselves, other men, and especially women. Listen in to hear Zoë get horrified about the state of the genders across generations, and maybe find a little bit of hope for the future 🙏“Gen Z males twice as likely as baby boomers to believe wives should obey husbands“Joan Smith in The Guardian: "As a boomer, I’m shocked by gen Z’s attitude towards women – something has gone very wrong"Katie Jagielnicka: Gen Z Men Will Never Be BreadwinnersJoin the waitlist for Hearth, an intimate live programme for childfree women who are ready to stop carrying the questions alone, and start finding answers together. Coming soon from We are Childfree!Support our mission of celebrating childfree lives by becoming a Dolly Patron. You’ll get full-length episodes of the pod, access to all our beautiful portraits, exclusive BTS from our journey, and more!Follow We are Childfree on Substack, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and LinkedIn.And find out more at wearechildfree.com Get full access to We are Childfree at wearechildfree.substack.com/subscribe

Spoiler alert for Love Is Blind Season 10! And yes, we know he’s called Mike - but sometimes it’s hard to tell these guys apart 😅 Zoë dives deep into the toxic reality TV trope of “You’d be a great mom!” and reveals to James - and all of y’all - just how deep the pronatalist rabbit hole goes. You’re welcome? Seriously, we loved dissecting one of our guilty pleasures - if you enjoyed this too, let us know and we’ll do more eps like this!Liz Plank never lies: Love Is Blind Is Not a Dating Show It’s a Nature Documentary.Listen to Taking the road less-travelled, with 65-year-old clinical psychologist Shelley.Find out the problems with genetic testing, with this Ill Conceived podcast on Surrogacy.Join the waitlist for Hearth, an intimate live programme for childfree women who are ready to stop carrying the questions alone, and start finding answers together. Coming soon from We are Childfree!Support our mission of celebrating childfree lives by becoming a Dolly Patron. You’ll get full-length episodes of the pod, access to all our beautiful portraits, exclusive BTS from our journey, and more!Follow We are Childfree on Substack, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and LinkedIn.And find out more at wearechildfree.com Get full access to We are Childfree at wearechildfree.substack.com/subscribe

The podcast is back! Zoë and James check in from the Canary Islands, taking a break from our Childfree Elders Project to share some inspiration and hope from older icons 🙌 If you've ever wondered, "Will I regret not having children?", then this ep is for you!Watch the video of this episode here.Check out our Childfree Elders Project - share your story and help spread the word!Learn how to look at your life with curiosity from our beautiful portrait of the iconic Maria CoffeyListen to Don’t fear regret, with Orna DonathSupport our mission of celebrating childfree lives by becoming a Dolly Patron. You’ll get full-length episodes of the pod, access to all our beautiful portraits, exclusive BTS from our journey, and more!Follow We are Childfree on Substack, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and LinkedIn.And find out more at wearechildfree.com Get full access to We are Childfree at wearechildfree.substack.com/subscribe

Meet Jody Day, an icon, an inspiration, and a pioneer in creating community for non-parents 💝From the episode:- how Jody worked through her childless grief to feel as childfree as if she’d chosen it- why everyone along the non-parent spectrum needs to unite to fight against the powers of pronatalism- Alterkin, Jody’s innovative, in-person, intergenerational community of non-parents who vow to support each other as they ageWe are Childfree is an independent podcast and we rely on community support to keep going. Please consider becoming a Dolly Patron, starting at €5 a month. You’ll get full episodes, exclusive portraits, access to the chat and free childfree stories straight to your inbox.Help us get to 2000 members, to cover the costs of celebrating and supporting childfree lives for one more year! Find out how to become a Dolly Patron at wearechildfree.substack.com🔗 LinksFind Jody at Gateway Elderwomen  Book: Selfish, Shallow, and Self-Absorbed: Sixteen Writers on The Decision Not To Have Kids - edited by Meghan Daum Book: The Baby Matrix: Why Freeing Our Minds From Outmoded Thinking About Parenthood & Reproduction Will Create a Better World - Laura Carroll Book: No One Talks About This Stuff - edited by Kat Brown Get full access to We are Childfree at wearechildfree.substack.com/subscribe

We spill the childfree tea on the complicated feelings that come up when we find out our friends are pregnant. It’s something almost all of us will face at some point - so we surveyed the childfree community to get the truth about the topic!Then, in a re-released Ask WAC chat, we rally round a couple whose friend groups are now full of parents, with little time for anything but their kids. This is such a tricky problem, so we tapped the We are Childfree community hive mind for some stellar support and amazing advice!If you’d like more support making and keeping friends, you can join Zoë and a small group of childfree cheerleaders for a live workshop to feel seen, supported, and connected - especially when your friendships are shifting 🤗LinksChildfree Cheer Camp Presents: Navigating Friendships 🤗Survey: Navigating Friendships 🤗 Help us help you!Podcast: Claiming Zero - Friendship Before and After Kids Get full access to We are Childfree at wearechildfree.substack.com/subscribe

Maria Coffey has lived A LIFE. She started travelling in her teens, desparate to escape safe, settled life in the UK and see the world. From Morocco to Malawi to the remote Solomon Islands, Maria’s adventures have taken her to places and people she never would have experienced had she had children. Now 73, Maria looks back on a life full of love and loss, of risks and rewards - but no regrets!Follow Maria on Instagram and read her memor Instead: Navigating the Adventures of a Childfree Life (a We are Childfree book club favourite!)Join your community of childfree cheerleaders and sign up for a We are Childfree membership today! Get full access to We are Childfree at wearechildfree.substack.com/subscribe

A listener asks: what do you say when a child asks, do you have kids?This one goes out to all the cool aunts, childcare professionals, and our wonderful childfree community who offered such great advice!If you have a problem you'd like the community's help with, email [email protected] with "Ask WAC" as the subject line.Questions from We are Childfree members get priority! To jump the queue, get episodes a week early, and find your community of childfree cheerleaders, join us at www.wearechildfree.com/join/ 🙌LinksWinery: Vinarija BoškovićA Bit Fruity podcast: Christian Indoctrination in HomeschoolingThe New York Times: Women Who Said No to MotherhoodStory: Mary Gay, 79, USAWe are Childfree: Share Your Story#DefundPawPatrol Get full access to We are Childfree at wearechildfree.substack.com/subscribe

OK this one’s a doozy! Even if you’re sure you want kids, society’s going to try and pressure you to doubt yourself and change your mind. And when that happens, how do you separate those external influences from your true heart’s desire. We offer some guidance, with the help of our wonderful childfree community!If you have a problem you'd like the community's help with, email [email protected] with "Ask WAC" as the subject line.Questions from We are Childfree members get priority! To jump the queue, get episodes a week early, and find your community of childfree cheerleaders, join us at www.wearechildfree.com/join/ 🙌LinksPodcast: No regrets, with 78 year-old childfree trailblazer Marcia Drut-DavisMasterclass: Create Your Childfree Life VisionBook: The Baby MatrixPodcast: Don’t fear regret, with Orna DonathPodcast: Kids or ChildfreePodcast: Navigating ambivalence, with clarity coach Keltie Maguire Get full access to We are Childfree at wearechildfree.substack.com/subscribe