Contents
Since this year, maternity capital has been paid for first-borns as well – another measure to combat low birth rates. Whether it helps – we’ll see. In the meantime, giving birth in Russia is really less and less. According to Rosstat, in 2019 the birth rate fell by 8,3% compared to 2018. As it turned out, millennials (the generation born from 1980 to 2000) are in no hurry to continue their family and here’s why.
1. “My body is my business”
Of course, this slogan, like feminism, did not appear yesterday. However, today the idea of a strong independent woman has received a new impetus. The fair sex is now more and more fiercely defending its rights, suppressing all attempts of discrimination and any hints of harassment. Now women have complete control over their bodies and their lives, and therefore are not subject to stereotypes that their main purpose is to bear children.
2. Financial instability
Today, rarely does anyone give birth at the age of 20. Studentship and motherhood are incompatible things. Well, after university, you need to get on your feet: find a job, solve the housing issue. And if you go on maternity leave, you will “fall out of the cage” for two or three years. Previously, few manage to return to work – there are problems with state kindergartens in our country. At the same time, maternity leave is paid only up to one and a half years – then you will have to live on the husband’s salary. So it turns out that in Russia they begin to give birth no earlier than 27 years old – this is the official statistics.
3. World news
Alarming headlines in news feeds and newscasts do not set you in a positive mood. Wars, nuclear weapons, terrorist attacks, viruses … And how to bring a child into this world? For some, the thought of giving birth to a baby in such an environment becomes frightening.
4. Changing of the climate
What will happen to our planet in 20-30 years? Glaciers are melting, the level of the oceans is rising, and many cities are already sinking under water. Recall at least the strongest floods in Venice. The climate is changing, drought and fires set in. Siberia is burning, Australia and North America are burning. Many believe the planet is being ruined by overconsumption and overpopulation. So people consider refusal to have a child as one of the solutions to the problem.
5. Self-realization
In some cases, women who do not want to have children admit that they have different goals in life. They want to build a career, travel a lot and engage in self-development – to devote their lives to themselves, and not to children. And this is their right.
6. Prior experience
If, in adolescence, the responsibilities of raising brothers and sisters are shifted to a girl, in the future she may abandon the role of a mother. Enough – got hired. It’s time to live for yourself.
7. Protest against established norms
Even in our emancipated time, the refusal of a woman to give birth to a child is still a reason for gossip. She will definitely be asked to explain what the reason is and, of course, will be reminded that the clock is already ticking. It is curious that, with questions about children, they mainly bother women, but this topic bypasses men. Tired of the pressure of society, women refuse to give birth simply as a protest and unwillingness to follow the lead.
8. Positive role models
Jennifer Aniston, Kylie Minogue, Patricia Kaas and Oprah Winfrey have all given up motherhood in favor of themselves and their careers. And it seems that they are not at all worried about the absence of heirs. For many, these stars are role models.
9. Lack of serious relationship
Few women are ready to give birth to a child alone, without a man. For most, having a permanent and strong relationship is considered the main condition for subsequently having someone to share parenting responsibilities with.
10. Childfries have been before
There have always been people who purposefully refused to have children. Still, the birth of offspring is not the only way to contribute to the life of society. And women who don’t want biological children don’t have to stay away from other babies. Many of them have become excellent teachers and child psychologists. Someone has chosen the path of becoming a caring aunt or nanny. It’s just that these women prefer to show their care in other ways.