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Careers not main reason for delaying motherhood
Gold Coast Bulletin ^ | 5/22/07 | Staff

Posted on 05/22/2007 10:36:38 AM PDT by qam1

It is not the desire to further careers but money worries and the search for Mr Right which are holding women back from having children, according to a poll out today.

Many are also having too much fun, although a significant number admit to stressing about their fertility, it found.

The study of 1,800 child-free women, for Grazia magazine, reveals that having children is lowest on the list of life priorities for 45 per cent of 28- to 32-year-olds.

More than half (51 per cent) of those aged 24 to 27 and a third of 28- to 32-year-olds say they cannot afford to get on the "family ladder" because they are not financially stable or do not own their own home.

More than a quarter (28 per cent) of those aged 24 to 32 and a quarter of those aged 33 to 40 say they are having too much fun to think about children.

A further 13 per cent of thirtysomethings say they feel too much like a child themselves to have one yet.

The top reason women in the 33 to 40 age group give for not having children is because a third have not met Mr Right (20 per cent of those aged 28 to 30 and 26 per cent of those aged 41 to 49).

Asked why they haven't had children, just 16 per cent of the women say it is because of their career.

When ranking their life priorities, only 6 per cent put career first while 52 per cent say relationships are most important and 35 per cent say friends and family.

More than eight in 10 (84 per cent) say they will not have children in the wrong relationship just to become a mother.

Three quarters (76 per cent) will never use a sperm donor and 79 per cent will not have a baby with a friend, the poll found.

But most younger women will leave a partner who does not ever want children (56 per cent of 24 to 27-year-olds and 57 per cent of 28 to 32-year-olds).

Nine out of 10 (90 per cent) of the over-40s say they will stick with their man even if children are not on the agenda.

While 35 per cent of the 41 to 49-year-olds questioned were married, 28 per cent still feel too immature to have children.

On fertility, 62 per cent of those aged 24 to 27 admit they stress about it.

One in 10 (11 per cent) of 41 to 49-year-olds have already been told they are infertile but 74 per cent in the age group say they will not be bothered if told they can never have children.

Grazia editor Jane Bruton says: "Everyone assumes that women who don't have children are selfish and career obsessed, but our exclusive survey shows nothing could be further from the truth.

"Getting on the family ladder is simply becoming too expensive. If you don't own your own home or feel financially stable because of excessive debt then you aren't going to feel equipped to have a child.

"On top of this, women are waiting longer to meet the right man to father their children and are simply not prepared to compromise."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News
KEYWORDS: allaboutme; deathofthewest; genx; havemorebabies
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1 posted on 05/22/2007 10:36:40 AM PDT by qam1
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To: qam1; ItsOurTimeNow; PresbyRev; Fraulein; StoneColdGOP; Clemenza; m18436572; InShanghai; xrp; ...
Xer Ping

Ping list for the discussion of the politics and social (and sometimes nostalgic) aspects that directly effects Generation Reagan / Generation-X (Those born from 1965-1981) including all the spending previous generations are doing that Gen-X and Y will end up paying for.

Freep mail me to be added or dropped. See my home page for details and previous articles.

2 posted on 05/22/2007 10:39:24 AM PDT by qam1 (There's been a huge party. All plates and the bottles are empty, all that's left is the bill to pay)
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To: qam1

It’s awfully hard to find “Mr. Right” when you’re tramping it up in bars, drinking like a fish and banging “Mr. Right NOW.” Being a parent means effacing yourself to a degree, and giving up disposable income, instant gratification and a fairly selfish existence. A LOT of the younger generation aren’t up tp the challenge.


3 posted on 05/22/2007 10:39:24 AM PDT by Malacoda (A day without a pi$$ed-off muslim is like a day without sunshine.)
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To: qam1
On top of this, women are waiting longer to meet the right man to father their children and are simply not prepared to compromise.

Women....compromise? My wife's version of a compromise: "What's yours is mine and what's mine is mine."

4 posted on 05/22/2007 10:41:51 AM PDT by lovecraft (Specialization is for insects.)
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To: Tijeras_Slim; Jersey Republican Biker Chick; RockinRight; Hoodlum91; Xenalyte
FREERIDER ping!
5 posted on 05/22/2007 10:54:03 AM PDT by Allegra (Socks.)
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To: lovecraft

And don’t ever forget that!! Ha Ha Ha


6 posted on 05/22/2007 10:55:02 AM PDT by JJR RNCH (Your mother doesn't work here!! Clean up after YOURSELF.)
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To: qam1

Girls just want to have fun.


7 posted on 05/22/2007 10:55:11 AM PDT by Uncle Hal
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To: Malacoda
It is not the desire to further careers but money worries and the search for Mr Right which are holding women back from having children.

I'll agree to that. Living in Southern California makes having children prohibitively expensive. Since my wife and I are responsible and would not want to burden the tax payers with having to subsidize our children, we have decided to wait until I finish college and get a higher paying job.

I cant say the same for all the other welfare louts out there.

8 posted on 05/22/2007 10:56:04 AM PDT by chaos_5 (Is it all lost?)
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To: qam1
Careers not main reason for delaying motherhood

Ugliness # 1?

9 posted on 05/22/2007 10:57:47 AM PDT by Puppage (You may disagree with what I have to say, but I shall defend to your death my right to say it)
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To: JimWforBush; martin_fierro; Jersey Republican Biker Chick; najida; Allegra; RockinRight; ...

FREERIDER PING!

10 posted on 05/22/2007 11:02:50 AM PDT by Tijeras_Slim
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To: qam1

More testimony from the “ME!” generation.


11 posted on 05/22/2007 11:10:16 AM PDT by HEY4QDEMS (Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.)
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To: JJR RNCH

She doesn’t let me forget....but all in all, it’s been a good trade. :-)


12 posted on 05/22/2007 11:10:56 AM PDT by lovecraft (Specialization is for insects.)
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To: chaos_5

Good for you for being responsible!


13 posted on 05/22/2007 11:12:40 AM PDT by Hoodlum91 (I support global warming.)
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To: lovecraft
Women....compromise? My wife's version of a compromise: "What's yours is mine and what's mine is mine."

I have a pretty sweet deal,
I hand over my entire paycheck.
I do the yard work.
I cook her breakfast in bed.
I shower her with gifts.
I tell her how beautiful she is and how lucky I am to be married to her.....




.... but at control the remote.

Is she a sucker or what?
14 posted on 05/22/2007 11:15:03 AM PDT by HEY4QDEMS (Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.)
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To: Malacoda

“..and giving up disposable income, instant gratification and a fairly selfish existence.”

Must suck to be a woman...


15 posted on 05/22/2007 11:16:36 AM PDT by dakine
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To: HEY4QDEMS
but at control the remote should have read: but I control the remote
16 posted on 05/22/2007 11:17:27 AM PDT by HEY4QDEMS (Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.)
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To: qam1
My feeling is that feminism has created a toxic environment in which women don't know how to behave, men don't know how to behave, no one respects anyone and -- to top it all off -- women think they deserve to win 100% of the time, and are shocked -- SHOCKED! -- when men shrug and just walk away.

No one is winning in this scenario except the folks who want to bring society crashing down so that they can rebuild it along new lines.

17 posted on 05/22/2007 11:18:01 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy (Enoch Powell was right.)
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To: HEY4QDEMS
When we bought our new house, I had saved up enough money to get a brand new 50 inch plasma TV. I shopped, researched, compared, and finally decided on which brand I would get. I love that TV, want to know the top 5 things that are on during the week?

Dr. Phil
Tyra
The Food Network
The Style Network
American Idol.....

I get it during football season to watch the VOLS. Luckily she's a VOL Alumni, so that works out..

I....am......so.....whipped.

18 posted on 05/22/2007 11:23:54 AM PDT by lovecraft (Specialization is for insects.)
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To: qam1

and are simply not prepared to compromise.”


These are the ones a man should aviod. The growing selfishness of women during the past 25 years is asounding.


19 posted on 05/22/2007 11:27:33 AM PDT by Finalapproach29er (Dems will impeach Bush in 2008; mark my words.)
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To: HEY4QDEMS
I cook her breakfast in bed.

Next time try cooking it in the kitchen. ;^)

20 posted on 05/22/2007 11:28:53 AM PDT by DumpsterDiver
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