How many kids do you have?
1? 2? 4? 10?
Did you know it doesn't really matter? Well, if you're talking about happiness...
The Atlantic looked at a few different studies, and there is no consensus as to what number of kids is the perfect number for a couple.
Some studies say you should stop at one.
Others say four strikes the proper balance.
The perfect number is truly an unknown.
Do you know what is known, though?
That kids negatively impact a marriage.
It's true.
A study outlined in Fatherly explains that 83% of couples felt that having their first child caused a "marital crisis."
Justin Worsham of The Dad Podcast doesn't totally disagree with this idea, but he explains that the true cause of issues surrounding having children may lie in the reason for having kids.
"It’s interesting to think that having more kids can have a positive impact on marriage. I can tell you that having a second kid severely challenged mine. Not because I lost affection towards my wife, but young kids rightfully take a lot of attention and energy, leaving you with little for each other.
But I think it is important that this study finds that you have to be of the mind of wanting more kids. Too many people have more kids for the silliest of reasons, putting an unnecessary financial and, in some cases, emotional burden on themselves. In my opinion, you should remove the external pressure of what your family needs to looks like, or what your in-laws want, and just focus on being comfortable with what you can handle."
To hear more of Justin's take on kids and how they impact your marriage, you can check out all of his stuff at The Dad Podcast.