tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3766985265879664956.post7187717441861872084..comments2023-08-18T04:41:17.410-07:00Comments on Happiness, truth, everything: Explaining the Parenthood ParadoxJazi Zilberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05905089558096276638noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3766985265879664956.post-65424261537055443152012-12-12T06:36:38.559-08:002012-12-12T06:36:38.559-08:00http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ecl:stabus:2119&r...http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ecl:stabus:2119&r=cbe is a new Baumeister et al paper on happiness vs meaningfulness that supports the idea of parenthood providing "meaning" to offset the unhappiness, and that "people will pursue meaningfulness even at the expense of happiness".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3766985265879664956.post-29271242539700741882012-08-23T07:33:26.166-07:002012-08-23T07:33:26.166-07:00I am skeptical about the research that describes (...I am skeptical about the research that describes (frames) our happiness in terms of having kids in context. How does one truly test the idea? Self-reported happiness filtered through memory and present context. All I can say is that given (a) all the self-reports that I know that kids are fun to have and (b) the complexity, dare say impossibility, of scientifically proving this abstract notion (happiness up or down when kids present)---these make me feel/reason that a hard edged idea that this is a discernible question ought to be softened a bit. <br /><br />I don't have kids, I'm married and all of the happy with kids people I know are in a wealthy developed and peaceful country with plenty of farmland around. <br /><br />NickAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3766985265879664956.post-70994760577271737222009-10-01T22:06:35.938-07:002009-10-01T22:06:35.938-07:00Great great great post zilber.Great great great post zilber.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3766985265879664956.post-24629431995298591292008-03-26T15:54:00.000-07:002008-03-26T15:54:00.000-07:00grandparently bliss feels a great solution for the...grandparently bliss feels a great solution for the parenthood paradox. But I do not think it actually helps.<BR/><BR/>1) Genrally, people with no grandchildern are no less happy than people with grandchildren. That is what I remember from the literature.<BR/><BR/>2) Remember, that while the loss of happiness with kids is immediate, grandparently bliss is far in time, and you should include the "interest" + uncertaincy in any calculation<BR/><BR/>3) the value of kids for their old parents is much lower now than in rural times. Then kids were caring also meterially for parents. Now it is much less. many kids live far away. And the contact as well as material care is relatively lower.<BR/><BR/>4) Nevertheless, there is a study about lonely elders whose health and mood improved upon weekly visist from descendants. It is only if they were totally lonely, and the general findings about elder's wellbeing does accord with this specific finding.<BR/><BR/>Thanks Daniel for coming over.Jazi Zilberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05905089558096276638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3766985265879664956.post-51990896409567398082008-03-26T08:57:00.000-07:002008-03-26T08:57:00.000-07:00I wonder if there is happiness generated from bein...I wonder if there is happiness generated from being a grandparent that balances the earlier costs. - DanielAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3766985265879664956.post-3125424562174370212008-01-21T21:49:00.000-08:002008-01-21T21:49:00.000-08:00Curious about the financial xcost of raising a chi...Curious about the financial xcost of raising a child?<BR/><BR/>http://moneycentral.msn.com/articles/family/kids/tlkidscost.asp<BR/><BR/>Says $125,000 in after tax amoney.<BR/><BR/>I haven't reviewed the numbers.Jazi Zilberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05905089558096276638noreply@blogger.com