Voluntary childlessness

This article is about the choice not to have children. For the inability to have children despite one's desire to have them, see Childlessness § Involuntary.

Voluntary childlessness or childfreeness[1][2] describes the active choice not to have children. Use of the word "childfree" was first recorded in 1901[3] and entered common usage among feminists during the 1970s.[4] The suffix -free refers to the freedom and personal choice of those to pick this lifestyle. The meaning of the term childfree extends to encompass the children of others (in addition to one's own children), and this distinguishes it further from the more usual term childless, which is traditionally used to express the idea of having no children, whether by choice or by circumstance.[5] In the research literature, the term child-free or childfree has also been used to refer to parents currently not living with their children, for example because they have already grown up and moved out.[6] In common usage, childfree might be used in the context of venues or activities wherein (young) children are excluded even if the people involved may be parents, such as a childfree flight[7] or a childfree restaurant.[8]

In most societies and for most of human history, choosing not to have children was both difficult and socially undesirable, except for celibate individuals. The availability of reliable birth control (which has severed the link between sexuality and reproduction),[9] more opportunities for financial security (especially for women),[10] better healthcare (which has extended human life expectancy), and the ability to rely on one's own savings[11] have made childlessness a viable option, even if this choice might still be frowned upon by society at large. Nevertheless, in some modern societies,[12] being childfree has become not just more tolerated but also more common.[13][14] In fact, various attempts by governments around the world to incentivize couples to have a child or to have more children have all failed, indicating that this is not a matter of economics but a cultural shift.[10][15] In societies where children are seldom born out of wedlock, childfree individuals are likely to remain single as well.[16][17]

  1. ^ Leroux, Marie-Louise; Pestieau, Pierre; Ponthiere, Gregory (2022). "Childlessness, childfreeness and compensation". Social Choice and Welfare. 59 (1): 1–35. doi:10.1007/s00355-021-01379-y. hdl:2268/266029. S2CID 210146775.
  2. ^ Engwall, Kristina (May 4, 2014). "Childfreeness, parenthood and adulthood". Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research. 16 (4): 333–347. doi:10.1080/15017419.2013.781955. ISSN 1745-3011. S2CID 144352218.
  3. ^ "Definition of CHILD-FREE". Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  4. ^ Savage, Maddy (February 14, 2023). "The adults celebrating child-free lives". BBC Future. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  5. ^ The obsolete term "childerless"—meaning "without children"—is given, for example in Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. 1971. p. 343. ISBN 9780717285006. LCCN 76-188038.
  6. ^ de Vaus, D. (April 2004). "Diversity and change in Australian families". Australian Institute for Family Studies. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  7. ^ Muther, Christopher (March 16, 2023). "Would you pay more to be on a plane without children? A majority of Americans want adult-only flights". Boston Globe. Archived from the original on March 16, 2023. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  8. ^ Boesveld, Sarah (October 9, 2012). "Demand for child-free zones grows as more adults opt out of parenthood". National Post. Archived from the original on March 12, 2024. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  9. ^ Buonadonna, Paola; Venema, Vibeke; Lane, Megan (July 29, 2010). "The women who choose not to be mothers". BBC News. Archived from the original on December 7, 2020. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  10. ^ a b Burn-Murdoch, John (March 29, 2024). "Why family-friendly policies don't boost birth rates". Financial Times. Archived from the original on March 29, 2024. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  11. ^ Dickler, Jessica (September 24, 2024). "'Childless cat lady' is a more common lifestyle choice. Here's what being child-free means for your money". CNBC. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  12. ^ Stegeman, Lotte (May 14, 2020). "Waarom hebben zoveel mensen een kinderwens?" [Why do so many people have a desire to have children?]. Quest (in Dutch). Archived from the original on May 27, 2020. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference Bodin was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference :5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ Dulaney, Chelsey (October 13, 2024). "Worldwide Efforts to Reverse the Baby Shortage Are Falling Flat". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on October 18, 2024. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference Gan-2021 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ Rich, Motoko (August 3, 2019). "Craving Freedom, Japan's Women Opt Out of Marriage". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 2, 2021. Retrieved October 14, 2024.