It’s because no one wants to have kids, why would they?
It’s obscenely expensive, childcare provision is SO oversubscribed (because there’s fuck all of it) that you’re having to sign up to nursery places even before you’ve had a 12 weeks scan around here for them to go at 1 year old, that’s a full 18 months early.
Minumum maternity and paternity pay is utterly abysmal so you can’t even bond with your child once they’re born.
Schools are falling apart due to RAAC, teachers are quitting in droves, the economy fucking sucks and no one can buy a fucking house.
This is no surprise to anyone who has been paying attention, and without some BIG changes in wealth redistribution we’re going to be entirely fucked as a country.
corbynista2029 on
Does anyone have a meaningful solution to the demographic crisis? Feels like the developed world and some of the developing world are just sleepwalking into a massive population crash. Migration helps delay the problem, but it’s not going to work forever when other countries eventually face their own population crisis.
mechanical-monkey on
I’m a dad. I can tell you it’s a nightmare for childcare. You can’t get it and with both me and my partner having to work full time to keep the house afloat. It’s desperately needed. It’s a fortune for literally anything child related now as well. Honestly even a little bit of help would go long way for most people. I am the only one of my friend group with kids. No one else wants them. Why would they. All of the struggle one way or another with work life balance as it is. Kids just add to that.
Just to be clear. I love my kids and would do anything for them. But it doesn’t stop it from being the single hardest and financially draining thing I’ve ever done.
LordLucian on
As someone who is a uk citizen born and bred I can reliably say that its because of a number of things ie: cost of food, cost of housing, feelings of general incompetence from almost every goverment department and the politics.
I’m short people feel abandoned and helpless.
IsWasMaybeAMefi on
One of my daughters sees climate change and the state of the planet as a reason to not have kids.
I do not disagree.
My other daughter has two kids. I am scared about the world they will grow up into.
Comfortable-Class576 on
This won’t change until working families get free full-time childcare and houses are affordable again. It’s crazy that most young couples in London can’t even afford a second bedroom. Young people can’t find stability until they’re in their 30s or mid-30s, and by then, when they try to have kids, they face fertility issues that they wouldn’t have had at 28.
I know loads of people who’d love to have 2 or 3 kids but stick with one because they can’t afford more or struggle to conceive in their 40s, and that’s probably cutting the number of babies in half.
Cross_examination on
Don’t worry. There will be plenty of births soon in the refugee hotels; poor people tend to have more kids. (This is not an invitation for racist comments).
7 Comments
It’s because no one wants to have kids, why would they?
It’s obscenely expensive, childcare provision is SO oversubscribed (because there’s fuck all of it) that you’re having to sign up to nursery places even before you’ve had a 12 weeks scan around here for them to go at 1 year old, that’s a full 18 months early.
Minumum maternity and paternity pay is utterly abysmal so you can’t even bond with your child once they’re born.
Schools are falling apart due to RAAC, teachers are quitting in droves, the economy fucking sucks and no one can buy a fucking house.
This is no surprise to anyone who has been paying attention, and without some BIG changes in wealth redistribution we’re going to be entirely fucked as a country.
Does anyone have a meaningful solution to the demographic crisis? Feels like the developed world and some of the developing world are just sleepwalking into a massive population crash. Migration helps delay the problem, but it’s not going to work forever when other countries eventually face their own population crisis.
I’m a dad. I can tell you it’s a nightmare for childcare. You can’t get it and with both me and my partner having to work full time to keep the house afloat. It’s desperately needed. It’s a fortune for literally anything child related now as well. Honestly even a little bit of help would go long way for most people. I am the only one of my friend group with kids. No one else wants them. Why would they. All of the struggle one way or another with work life balance as it is. Kids just add to that.
Just to be clear. I love my kids and would do anything for them. But it doesn’t stop it from being the single hardest and financially draining thing I’ve ever done.
As someone who is a uk citizen born and bred I can reliably say that its because of a number of things ie: cost of food, cost of housing, feelings of general incompetence from almost every goverment department and the politics.
I’m short people feel abandoned and helpless.
One of my daughters sees climate change and the state of the planet as a reason to not have kids.
I do not disagree.
My other daughter has two kids. I am scared about the world they will grow up into.
This won’t change until working families get free full-time childcare and houses are affordable again. It’s crazy that most young couples in London can’t even afford a second bedroom. Young people can’t find stability until they’re in their 30s or mid-30s, and by then, when they try to have kids, they face fertility issues that they wouldn’t have had at 28.
I know loads of people who’d love to have 2 or 3 kids but stick with one because they can’t afford more or struggle to conceive in their 40s, and that’s probably cutting the number of babies in half.
Don’t worry. There will be plenty of births soon in the refugee hotels; poor people tend to have more kids. (This is not an invitation for racist comments).