![]() ‘We both have jobs we enjoy and have travelled the world, taking trips to faraway destinations like the Caribbean, South Africa and the USA. At the same time the stigma of remaining childless has been largely eliminated ‘We still make each other laugh every day.Įxperts say that, almost without realising it, we’ve created a society where the obstacles to having children keep growing. ‘Every now and then, when I’m sitting in a restaurant with my husband or walking our dogs in the woods, I’ll catch myself feeling completely content,’ she says. They discussed it in passing and found they were both pleased with their lives as they were. She admits they have never had ‘one momentous conversation’ about children. She met her husband, now 48 and an IT installer, when she was 23 and says he never wanted a family. I’ve never had the merest inkling that they are disappointed not to be grandparents.’ ‘Fortunately, neither Mum nor Dad have ever put any pressure on me - or my sister (she doesn’t have children either). In the past, women often felt pushed by their parents to produce grandchildren. Being away on trips is not conducive to having small children, so babies were definitely not on my mind.’ Jane was then living in London and working as a flight attendant. It was one of the reasons we broke up a year later.’ ‘I realised that even though he wanted kids, most of the childcare would land on me. Jane came to her own decision gradually: ‘When I was 21, I was engaged to a traditionalist who was very much of the view that we’d marry and have children one day. Others just don’t find the right partner while they are still fertile as we seem to settle down later and later.Īnd as the United Nations predicts the Earth’s population will breach 8.5 billion by 2030, some just can’t face bringing a child into an increasingly crowded and polluted world. Diminishing fertility rates (chemicals in plastics and cosmetics are thought to lead to lower sperm counts) and the fact it’s more socially acceptable not to have children may also be factors.Įqually, with more women in the workplace, some are choosing their careers over children. Many point to the rising cost of bringing up a child - currently about £200,000 until the age of 18. ![]() At the same time the stigma of remaining childless has been largely eliminated. So what’s behind this quiet cultural shift? Experts say that, almost without realising it, we’ve created a society where the obstacles to having children keep growing. ![]() The birth rate in Spain also fell to a historic low in 2021. French women have been urged to have more children after the number of births slumped to their lowest level since World War II. It’s the same pattern in most other developed countries. That’s a significant increase on the 13 per cent of their mothers’ generation who did not become parents. Office for National Statistics figures show that among women who turned 45 in 2021, almost one in five - 18 per cent - were childless. The number of women not having children, whether by choice or not, is on the rise. But I respect her decision and have no hard feelings. I had known her since childhood and loved her two children. ‘I tried to stay in touch via Facebook and texts for years,’ says Jane, who lives in Gloucester with her husband of 18 years. True to her word, as Jane embarked on happy and fulfilled married life with no sign of babies, her friend grew increasingly distant and finally cut all contact. From left, Jane Hawkes, Vicki Prais and Helen Campbell. Office for National Statistics figures show that among women who turned 45 in 2021, almost one in five were childless
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