Over the last week or so we have studied the idea of a decrease in the population as time moves forward. That now more than ever the population is decreasing and will continue to decrease, rapidly. And friends, I honestly had never really ever given this topic much thought. And to be quite frank with the discussion of it I felt myself feeling guilty, knowing that I fit right into the statistic. I have always imagined myself only having 2 children and not being married until a later age. And I can not help but think why. It seems so weird that we as a society and a rising generation feel the need to put off having a family to have worldly success. 

Statistics show the average family size in 2020 is 3.15 people. The majority of married couples have little to no children, and that is just couples that do end up getting married. “As of 2006, 55.7% of Americans age 18 and over were married,” as well as a divorce rate of 60%. Just 10 years in the past, the rates of having children and marriages were higher, and seemed to be the “norm” in society. What are the society norms today? Influencers tend to promote things such as self care and independency, especially for women. Just scrolling through social media there are countless posts that support “Doing things for myself” or “Being strong and independent.” People are praised for being on their own without a family or a spouse to rely on. Others see getting married and having children as “basic,” and feel the need to prove that life can be more than having a family. Is there anything wrong with getting married and having kids? Absolutely not. There are some who simply feel like they have more freedom when they are living for themselves and do not have to worry about others.

Occupations and job opportunities can play a major role in the decrease in population. Plenty of jobs require the employee to move around the area and possibly around the country, depending on the position. There are several downsides to moving when there is a family involved. Children form and strengthen relationships with other children, and sometimes a spouse has an occupation in the current area, so there is another conflict there as well. It is hard on a child when they have to move from area to area and repeatedly are treated as the “new kid.” This can result in low self-esteem and other long-lasting effects. No parent wants to be the cause of those effects on their child. Therefore, not getting married and living on your own avoids the problem altogether. 

Another reasonable possibility is financing. The more children you have, the more expensive your lifestyle becomes. Believe it or not, children do cost money. Money for school, money for clothes, money for food, etc. Once a child is brought into your life, you are responsible for that child until they are good to live out on their own. Some people simply can not afford to live that lifestyle. Your life is no longer about you, but it becomes about your children. Your life becomes your children. Their problems become your problems, their joy becomes your joy, and every little thing they do is your number one concern 24 hours of the day.

The last reason for the decrease in population is simply the lack of parental instincts of our generation. I personally believe there is a great number of people who have a strong dislike for children. With having children comes crying, yelling, diapers, annoying tv programs, and more. The list truly never ends. I believe there is a possibility that in the past, people may have had more patience than the current generation of adults. Our society, in general, is a lot different now than in years past, resulting in lower amounts of marriages and children in families.