Why Don’t Americans Want Children?

Today, fewer Americans than ever are having children. In 2023, the fertility rate in the United States actually fell to 1.6 births per woman, and that is below replacement level, which is 2.1 births per woman (CNBC, August 16, 2024). However, Americans are simply following a trend that is evident in many other Western nations.

One of the major reasons frequently cited for not having children is the economic cost of raising a child today, but there are also other reasons. In some cases, a couple may not be able to conceive a child, while others prefer to pursue their personal careers or maintain their chosen lifestyles. Others believe that remaining childless will make them happier. According to a recent Pew Research study, of those surveyed who were under 50 years old but said they will likely never have children, the majority—57 percent—said they simply do not want children! Many (44 percent) said they have other things they want to focus on.

So, what do these findings reveal? Deciding to focus only on our own lives, happiness, and interests is a form of selfishness. It is interesting that the Bible states that one of the signs of the coming end of the age is that people will be “lovers of themselves… despisers of good… and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:1–5). As modern societies lose sight of the Scriptures, they are no longer taught that God instructed human beings to “be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:22) and that “[c]hildren are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from Him” (Psalm 127:3, New Living Translation). As more people in our modern secular societies choose to forego having children, they also deny themselves the tremendous joys and satisfaction that God intended to be blessings for living His way of life. To learn more about how to raise children who become a blessing, be sure to read Successful Parenting: God’s Way.