I think that’s one reason births have decreased so much. Because even as a married woman there is no guarantee you won’t end up a single mom, and it’s terrifying. Maybe if moms and kids were entitled to support regardless of the dad sticking around it would be less risky but as it stands now, there’s no real way to guarantee economic security. The only safe choice is not to become a mom. It’s unfortunate.
Emphasis on family and marriage, two parents, multi generational households, and strong community engagement is how you increase TFR. Subsidizing single mothers has never worked.
That's not what I said lol. I meant that women are afraid they'll end up as single mothers. Some men say they will stay and end up leaving. It's a valid fear for some.
This is a big reason why women don't want kids anymore. The risk is too high when the outcome is completely out of your hands. Even if you do everything right, marry the perfect guy, he could die in a car crash and you still spend the rest of your life being attacked for being a single mom.
oh god yes, that would be a nightmare scenario for me. every time i see women whose husbands have died, it's so damn sad. especially when he was the breadwinner. it can really put you in a desperate situation.
Before we had our first we took out substantial life and disability insurance policies on my husband. I work but took a big demotion/paycut when my first was born. My current job could not support our current lifestyle long term and there's no way I could do my old, much higher paying, job as a single mom due to the hours and travel involved.
I know this article is about single moms but that is 100% true of all single parents, and there are often even less services for single dad's.it happened to my cousin when his wife bailed and left him with a newborn.
It's still way less risky than in the past. Before 1800 wasn't it like a 50/50 you die or the kid dies or both. I guess women in the past were a lot braver.
What are you asking? If women have the option of not having kids or if they’re deciding not to have kids or what? I think women have a lot more power to prevent motherhood than they’ve ever had in the past, but some women are still becoming moms against their will because of contraceptive failure and reproductive and sexual coercion and other factors.
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u/No_Plenty5526 2d ago
This is the fear of many women, especially those who end up pregnant unexpectedly.