Child-Free by Choice

A Newsweek blogger writes about the finding from a recent study:

Can happiness and parenting co-exist?
http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/nurtureshock/archive/2009/11/03/can-happiness-and-parenting-coexist.aspx

This study puts forth that children improve happiness in a marriage. Not a whole, whole lot, but more than other studies have shown. The blogger's take is interesting.

What do you think?

My favorite part about her whole blog was the ending where she said, "Do you even need a scientist to tell you you're happy?"  I find these kinds of studies rather pointless.  It's not like they're going to make someone decide on or against kids because of the happiness factor.  Yet they continue to study it year after year to no one's benefit.

I think the fact that the other studies put all parents together (regardless of marital status) was a big mistake.  I would expect that married couples with kids would be happier than single parents with kids.  The life styles are so very different and I think should have been studies separately to begin with.