The author of the book, Happy Ever After, has gathered data on relationships and has come to a conclusion: Single women without kids are happier than married women with children. Of course, this announcement has left married women questioning the validity of the research, while single women are ecstatic about the findings. What data was collected to arrive at this conclusion?
Social Connections
One of the biggest reasons why unmarried women with no kids are happier is that they are more likely to foster social connections that they find fulfilling. Being socially connected is often linked to happiness. Single people are also more likely to volunteer to take part in social events.
On the married side of the coin, married women often find themselves caught up in social networks that are put upon them, such as in-law family members or even groups involving parenting. Married women are more socially isolated.
A study conducted in Israel revealed that most people assumed that married people were happier than their single counterparts. Regardless of various scenarios that proved otherwise, those surveyed stuck with the idea that single people were more depressed, lonely, and shy. This was true across the board regardless of how single people were described with great achievements. It remained to be the perception even when single people insisted they had chosen their relationship status.
Workplace Demands
In the workplace, despite attempts to treat everyone equally, married people tend to get first pick on holiday time off. Also, single people are more likely to be expected to relocate when a job position calls for it, assuming that they don’t have a family to up heave during a job transition. The assumption is that a single person has no other meaningful commitments outside of work. The end result is that single people work harder without the rewards to show for it.
Couple Status Deals
Outside of work, single people are more likely to be expected to pay more and are excluded from couple discounts on insurance, mortgage payments, bank accounts, hotel stays, and even gym memberships. Laws and regulations also allow for special tax allowances for married people.
Happiness Depends On Factors Other Than Relationship Status
Maybe there are many married women who are happier than they were when they were single. Certainly, if you ask any new mother she will be beaming with joy and ready to show off her child. It’s hard to imagine that they are not as happy as their single childless friends. But, the idea that every person’s happiness is determined by their relationship status seems to be a bit misleading. It ignores individual differences of how to find fulfillment.
Ultimately, happiness depends on so many factors. Relationship status is only one part of the equation. Traditionally, marriage and having children have always been held in high esteem in the eyes of religion, political, economic, and political arenas. Though, the truth is that raising a family is expensive, and a married relationship requires a lot of work and commitment. So, when your single childless friend says they are happy, maybe they are.