Motherhood Strike: Why Many Americans Choose Not to Have Children

Added: 2026-05-17

[00:00:00]Last week I talked about this op-ed from the New York Times, Why So Few Babies?

[00:00:05]We might have overlooked the biggest reason of all. So, the New York Times actually posted some people's comments.

[00:00:12]So, this one's titled, Why Many Americans Choose Not to Have Children.

[00:00:16]Readers Offer Their Theories in Response to a Guest Essay.

[00:00:21]This man right here named Stephen says, The hand-wringing over America's declining birth rate mistakes a public health triumph for a demographic crisis.

[00:00:31]The inverse relationship between wealth and fertility is one of the most ironclad findings in demography. As nations prosper, birth rates fall. The United States arrived late to this reality because we have long been too prudish about contraception to achieve what other wealthy nations accomplished long ago. The numbers are striking.

[00:00:52]Teenage pregnancies have dropped 85% since 1989.

[00:00:57]Among 18-to-19-year-olds, 70%. Meanwhile, pregnancies among women over 35 have risen. Women are choosing when, not whether, to have children. The Guttmacher Institute documents the mechanism. The widespread adoption of long-acting reversible contraceptives, accelerated by the Affordable Care Act Act, women are now having the children they actually want. The natalists should stand down and allow the rest of us to celebrate. So, Stephen is a writer. He served as the chief operating officer for a Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette from 2008 to 2012. Okay, that's the reason why he is saying this from a demographer's standpoint. Michael Smith from Georgetown, Kentucky says, Looking back at the depression in the '30s, World War in the '40s, mutually assured destruction in the '50s, and social upheaval in the '60s, I struggle to see today's uncertainty as uniquely grim. Perhaps they seem so because young people today are less tolerant of uncertainty and more apt to avoid it when possible. If that is the mindset, they are not wrong about parenthood.

[00:02:08]Life will offer them few prospects that come with less certainty.

[00:02:12]Lex from Magnolia, Delaware says, "The author asserts that the biggest reason for fewer babies may be uncertainty, but why doesn't the author consider that the biggest reason may be that women simply don't want children? Women of childbearing age today have options that women of previous generations did not.

[00:02:30]We are not dependent upon marriage for economic security. We can have a career and choose whether we want to marry or have children. Because of the options available to me, an older millennial, I have a career, I support myself financially, and I have the choice of not having children.

[00:02:47]I made that decision years ago, not because of the climate crisis or income inequality, though these are not unimportant, but because I did not feel a need or a want to have children. There aren't any incentives that would induce me to have children, either. The government could guarantee income, child care, education, etc., and I still wouldn't have children. I have no doubts that many women my age and younger are not having children because of uncertainty. The planet is on fire, income does not keep up with inflation, and there's a backlash against women's rights. But sometimes the cause is more straightforward than what people expected to be or want it to be. We have a reverend, Reverend Michael P. Orsi out of Naples, Florida, saying, "Anna Louise Sussman acknowledges that traditional religion is conducive to having children and even larger families. It must also be noted that biblical religion encourages childbirth within marriage.

[00:03:44]This is important for the mutual support of the couple and the well-being of the nuclear family.

[00:03:49]It is also a great reminder of God's providence in taking care of the children. This hope for the future and optimism transcend fear of bringing new life into the world. An important ingredient of Catholic marriage is the promise to have children and to raise them according to the teachings of the church, which is clearly stated in the ritual itself. With Miss Sussman's findings, it may be time for the state to promote marriage and engage in the biblical world view that promotes having children for the good of the state and the continuance of society. So, let's just get the church more involved in government. Yes.

[00:04:29]Let's get them hunting for humanity.

[00:04:32]Let's bring it in Catholic style. This is Sue out of White Salmon, Washington saying, "My son and daughter-in-law decided several years ago not to have children and they have no regrets. I was a bit sad, but quickly got over it. Who would want to bring children into a world that is filled with terror, corruption, toxic pollution, and horrendous politics. A world where only certain lives matter. A world where the wealthiest support a far-right perspective of the world and feel no obligation or concern for the other 90%.

[00:05:03]A world where children are bombed and shot in schools. A world where a majority of citizens are ignored." After reading the headlines and of yet another insane day in a mega country, my partner and I agreed, "We are glad to be old and leaving this planet soon." So, this is what The New York Times put in as far as readers go. I have both I have comments from both YouTube and TikTok that I want to go over. All right, some of my YouTube comments. A BB says, "I'm an '80s kid and growing up I was always told kids are a big responsibility.

[00:05:38]Don't have children if you can't afford to take care of them. Bravo ladies, starve the capitalists." And then Flora Cross says, "Not to mention all of those teen pregnancy episodes on our sitcoms and those scare tactic TV movies telling us our lives would be ruined if we end up that way. They tell they told us that. I am a child of the 80s as well.

[00:06:02]They were really going hard against this and the numbers that have been declining are teen numbers. Do these people want to see teen rates go up again? Chris Newton says, the solution of just wing it, it'll work out remains the most selfish Bringing a child into a world of scarcity and uncertainty is not a loving act. Karen Abrams says, it is immoral to bring children into this situation, no new victims. Marie says, I'm 46 and a and a progressive friend told me this in my 20s. F that stuff. She did not say stuff.

[00:06:37]Kitsendale says, we keep telling them what we need. They keep saying to just deal. This is the state of just dealing.

[00:06:44]We are animals under distress and animals in distress do not produce well.

[00:06:49]Jill White says, exactly. Animals and plants do not reproduce well if they do not have adequate nutrients, good health and good environmental conditions. This is something every true farmer or rancher knows. Wendy Pierce says, vibes is not the right word. It's more like existential dread.

[00:07:08]Paladea says, the more I listen to this article, the more upset I'm getting. The poor dears, they're so confused by what's going on. So, that's why they're not having kids. Man, F these people.

[00:07:20]>> [laughter] >> Moon Brownie says, yes, I love Berb's channel because she's educational and through the lens of common sense. But, when she's not here and I see an article with even headlines like this, I want to pull off my hair.

[00:07:34]Bella Donna Bloom says, the US has the resources and specifically chooses not to feed, house, keep safe the kids that are already here. Of course, the youth are indecisive or intentionally choosing not to have children. We have shown them how much we care about women, children, and the people overall with the policies that are prioritized. Why would any indecisive woman put their literal life on the line to bring a child here so that they can be oversaddled with responsibility and debilitated, all for the child to be in debt, miseducated, abused, or assaulted, endure bigotry, down in the school, at in church, etc. Exactly.

[00:08:14]Let's look at some TikTok comments.

[00:08:16]Rochelle says, "Thanks for reading this.

[00:08:19]I enjoyed the article, but I found there wasn't enough focus on the manosphere and how men are just awful partners and no focus on the risks to the life women are taking in states where abortion is illegal." We got Cathy saying, "The Heritage Foundation is made up made up of wealthy old white people who have no clue what it really costs to raise a child. $2,000 won't even cover child care for a month."

[00:08:45]Terrible Angel says, "I feel like people are making this more complicated than it is. Like capitalism and men behaving badly are the reasons. It's not some esoteric, unattainable knowledge. It's obvious."

[00:08:58]Blue Frosty says, "They never write about how males literally don't do anything."

[00:09:03]We got Harith saying, "Is it birth rates or fertility rates? I have I have an issue calling it fertility when it's not a fertility issue."

[00:09:13]Lorraine says, "It's wild that they are just realizing when people feel unsafe and unstable, they don't want to have kids." We got LA Can saying, "Having kids plateaued my career. Child care is insanely difficult to find and unreliable once you do have it. The household labor is overwhelming. I spend every moment from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

[00:09:33]doing tasks for others, family, and work. I'm woken up one to two times a night. I wanted more kids, but I can't do that while working and I can't afford this life if I stay home, so I so I have two. That's it. And then Lasagna Del Rey says, "The vibes, they're bad."

[00:09:50]So, that's what people are saying.

[00:09:52]People are saying men need to get more involved, resources are scarce, and the government doesn't care. Y'all keep on talking.