Younger generations

[AZOldGal66]

My husband is a boomer and also an only child, having been born to an immigrant Mom from Iceland who didn't want more children.

I'm a "cusp" baby, born in 1966 (boomer age ends with births up to 1965), and my parent's had a combined total between two previous marriages each of 7 kid's.

They managed and did so beautifully and with both running a business on top of children being in the mix.

Younger parent's today are often far more informed and educated on new parenting techniques than before and because older generations are dismissed for their old ways of parenting and don't keep up with the changing times when it comes to raising kid's.

[Baconqueen13]

1) They don't WANT to have 8+ kids. Probably because they grew up with multiple siblings and were neglected by their boomer parents and now are trying to address that generational trauma as they raise their own kids.

2) They can barely afford housing for themselves working 2+ jobs. How do you expect them to afford to raise a family of multiple kids? Larger families requires more spacious housing which in turn requires more money that working families today do not have since wages never rose with the housing market or inflation.

3) Do you know how expensive it is to even have a child in today's economy or how high the hospital bill would be, even with insurance? If people are already struggling to afford their housing how the f**k do you expect them to afford the hospital bill?

4) 1 out of every 8 households already struggle with food insecurity and feeding their kids. More kids would result in more food insecurity.

If you want the younger generation to have larger families to be able to care for your salty boomer ass in the retirement home you need to give them incentive to even have a family...AKA More affordable housing, higher wages, lower healthcare costs, cheaper groceries, more and better support programs for women AND children.

[SoFloMom]

My boomer parents only had 1

[MonarchMom]

Why do I get the feeling this post is meant to imply "woman should return to the home and raise scads of kids"... just a hunch on my part.

[Murdoc's Mistress]

Most Gen Z do not want children because they just don't plain want them or do not feel comfortable having them because shit's expensive. Nothing wrong with that whatsoever.

Not sure what you're on about. It's better people know what they can and can't handle and adhere to it. Better to regret not having kids down the road than having a child and then realizing you regret having them.

[LiveWhatULove]

Lazy persons!!

On a more serious note, I think the 8 kid norm was way before boomer generation — but way back then, raising kids back in the day, was SO MUCH EASIER!!

[Heyteacher]

There a number of factors. Birth control wasn't as prevalent for boomers as gen X and millennial. The Catholic religion was opposed to the birth control that was available. Two salaries weren't nessessary to meet the needs of a family.

Personally we wanted 4 as I was one of 3 and hubby was one of 4. Alas, 2 was our gift and we are grateful for that.

[Anonymous 4]

Back in the day us boomers were taking care of over 8+ children at once. Millennials and Gen Z can’t even take care of one. How come?

Too many extras.

ETA I read this as a financial question. Everyone else seems to have read it as focused on the number of kids.

[Anonymous 5]

My dad is a Boomer. He's one of 3 kids. He had 1 kid of his own. While I am considered an Elder Millennial, I hate admitting it. I identify much more with Gen X.

[Anonymous 6]

Gen Z are in their twenties at their oldest. I understand Boomers had kids young, but that wasn't me. I was 33 when I had my first and my friends were older than that. I think times have just changed. And there's inflation. Many Gen Z can just afford rent. Hell, I know millennials trying to afford housing. I think Gen Z just aren't in a rush and honestly I don't blame them. Also, Idk who the hell had eight kids it wasn't anyone in my family. My grandmother had one kid, my other one had two and my parents have two kids. My brother has one. Even my cousins had one, two kids. No one had more than 3.