Dear Scientists
I recently read an article in which the research outcome was that becoming parents makes people less happy. No, I don't have a link to this article. No, I can't remember where I read it. And, in fairness, though I read it recently, it could have been a very old article. I read a lot of hand-me-down magazines. My point is this: I disagree. I would agree if the scientists had used the word "stressed". Having children has added significant stress (and gray hair; I always thought that was just a saying but seems true in my case) to my life. I worry about my child's development, her feelings, my capability to meet her needs. I worry about paying attention to my marriage as well as my role as a parent. I worry about her future, both the world she will grow into and the choices she will make. I worry about the possibility of dying young and leaving her with someone other than us to raise her. I worry. But am I less happy? I'm no scientist, but I would