When it comes to one’s happiness, we are all aware that we are individually in charge of it.
There are of course outside factors that can contribute to bad moods and depression but general happiness is something that we can manage and subscribe to if we choose to do so.
If we were to study the happiness levels of couples with kids versus couples without kids, we would need to consider so many other factors in order to get the complete picture;
1. Emotional history
2. Financial circumstances
3. Strength of relationship
4. General health
5. Work/life balance, etc..
The presence of kids in a couple’s life can absolutely be a boost to happiness in the right circumstances, to a particular couple in a particular time in their lives where nothing else is impeding how they feel.
It’s a lot of juggle, in order to get it ‘perfect’, isn’t it?
Add to that this recent study which says that how you are treated as a parent in the country you live in has a huge impact on your general state of happiness.
The study revealed that countries with government policies in support of parents and the family unit as a whole had far happier parents than those who do not.
“The negative effects of parenthood on happiness were entirely explained by the presence or absence of social policies allowing parents to better combine paid work with family obligations.”
The main areas of concern for parents were what you might expect;
1. Paid parenting leave
2. The cost of childcare
3. Work schedule flexibility
Ireland is still behind the pack when you consider countries such as Norway, France or Finland and their attitudes to supporting families who live there.
We are of course thrilled with the news that new fathers are now entitled to paid paternity leave and the availability of two free pre-school years is a big help to parents but we still have a long way to go.
The attitude towards families in Ireland is still pretty shocking.
Here are my list of demands from our little country, please and thank you:
1. Proper maternity preparation classes and support
2. Luxury (read: humane) maternity care for every woman who gives birth
3. Excellent post-natal care and support
4. Excellent post-natal depression services
5. Penalties for any business or establishment who declares themselves ‘non kid friendly’ (except strip-clubs and maybe prisons, obvs)
6. Mandatory proper buggy access in all public buildings (don’t get me started)
7. Public transport designed with the family in mind, and not just one buggy space per bus etc (and NO charging extra for buggies on aeroplanes!)
8. Proper subsidised childcare
9. Mandatory parenting classes for parents who are expecting/parents with young kids
10. An entire media campaign dedicated to encouraging us all as a society to start respecting our children as we should.
A big government-funded high-five for keeping the population going?
Now that would make me really happy.
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