How Do Australians Value Children? A Review and Research Update Using the Perceptions of Parents and Voluntarily Childless Adults

Abstract

Accurate statements about the impact of children upon our lives can only be made if we sample not only the attitudes of parents, but also married adults who voluntarily decided to forgo parenthood. First, this paper reviews the findings of previous Australian studies which have provided some information on the values and costs Australian parents perceive in having children. Second, a comparison is made between the perceived values and costs of children to 50 voluntarily childless wives and 35 of their husbands, and a matched-sample of parents.