Parenting has a large toll on one's happiness according to a German study

[stan4]

No way.

I was on the fence about having kids, but now that they are here, they are SO MUCH FUN.
I'm not saying they aren't also a pain sometimes, but it's really awesome. I want more.
But we don't have the time or space.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by phoenixmike11

It turns out parenthood is worse than divorce, unemployment

Wow, I have never had kids- I did not realize the toll raising children has on parents.

Your thread title is very misleading. That's not what the article says at all. The article doesn't discuss parenting, nor does it follow parents through as the child is growing, and try to measure parental happiness during that time. Nor does it ask about parental satisfaction with child-rearing after children have left the home to strike out on their own.

The article only discusses the first 2 years after a child's birth, when the child is most dependent on them, and least able to communicate. It's not front-page news that this is a very stressful time in a couple's life; most people know that before they choose to have kids. They know that the first year will be really rough, and could strain the marriage.

Tell us something we don't know, OP.