Recent research has brought it to light that half of Gen X women between the ages of 33 to 46 are childless, not because they couldn’t, but they chose to focus their energy on something better, their career. It is believed that women who were born in the feminist revolution period (those born between the periods of 1965-1978) still choose between family and career. The Gen X women are in a sound, and established relationship. So it ain’t the lack of it that stopped them from expanding their family but they chose career over children. Reason being, they considered having children would jeopardize their career, so they keep putting it off to the point where now they are too old to have one.
Staggering Truth Revealed
According to the survey, it is revealed that half of the Gen X women was terrified of having children because they felt they wouldn’t be able to balance time between their jobs and family. Whilst 19 per cent of Gen X women revealed that they are quite ambitious and earn more than their partners or husbands. And there are others who are afraid that once they get pregnant, their jobs will be affected, hence put it off getting pregnant and in some cases, avoided it entirely. But food for thought, why in this period and time they still feel that they need to choose between career and children? Things are much clearer than they have been a decade back, so what is stopping women from having children and at the same time have a successful career.
Many Women Regret Not Having a Child
Many successful Gen X women reveals when they were in the prime of age they focused on getting a degree and getting settled in a prominent job but now that they are settled and has ample time at hand are sadly, not able to give birth normally (since there are scientific ways to have a child). Gen X women are inspired by their mothers’ to aim high and become a part of work environment that previously only men were part of. They were inspired by feminist revolution and Gen X women listened to their first Gen X women, their mothers’ and became successful career women and hence failed to be part of family.
Childcare Not a ‘Women’s Issue’ Alone
It is not only women’s issue to care for the kids and it should stop being only their work-life issue. Women have long stopped being only in the kitchen and in the bedroom and its time that society stop calling it as ‘women’s issue’. Both men and women need to take part in raising a child, sacrificing from women’s part is not enough and to be honest, it is not fair to fairer sex.
It is high time that men start supporting women in raising a child because childcare is what made this a huge issue for women to not have a child. If a proper support mechanism were in place, then this wouldn’t have come as an issue. Balancing both home life and work life is what makes life interesting and if either one of them is absent, life will be dull with a huge hole on it.
About the author: Alyssa Clarke is a passionate blogger and a tech enthusiast. She has a fetish for tech stuff and recently bought a cool pair of noise canceling headphones. She also happens to be an eco buff and her current resolution is to avoid Junk food at all cost.
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Interesting article! I think one of the reasons that women are choosing to not have a family is because of how bad the economy is. It’s tough times right now and I can imagine that some women believe that they are not ready to support a family and would be better served saving money for when the time for a family is right.
Definitely I would agree that “Childcare Not a ‘Women’s Issue’ Alone” its the responsibility of the both parents or couple to raise and take good care of the child not just Us woman.And as far as I’ve observe in this generations that its the parents are balancing their time in raising their siblings.And its good to look that kind of view.Love it!
Wow – What an interesting post. I quess the time to ask my wife to become a housewife should be now before the follows the new Generations trends. And yes – With today’s way od staying Socially connected without leaving the office I think is a large contribute. Especially since a lot of the new generation women is actually all about image (on- and offline) and not showing really who they are.
I don’t plan on having children (I’m a couple years shy of being a Gen-Xer, I guess I’d be considered a Gen-Yer) and it never fails to amaze me when people are still shocked by that. I hear things like, “You want to focus on what? Your career? Oh, honey, that’s the same thing I said when I was your age, and I came around.” The issue isn’t that I need convincing, it’s that I just don’t WANT that for myself. I don’t know how people manage to balance work and kids, but I have a hard enough time with just work and hobbies….sheesh.
And I agree that childcare isn’t a women-only issue these days! I watch “Up All Night” on NBC, and it’s refreshing to see a stay-at-home dad in the spotlight for once. Maybe this issue will be resolved soon!
Good post, Alyssa. Love the food for thought.