An article published in Time Magazine on Friday, March 4th, 2011 titled "Why we exaggerate the Joys of Parenthood" focused on the the results of a research paper published in the journal "Psychological Science". The two authors of the study tested their theory of cognitive dissonance, which when applied to parenting states despite the emotional and financial drain from having kids, parents glorify their lives.... It turns out parents are in the grip of a giant illusion...."people are highly motivated to justify, deny or rationalize to reduce the cognitivie discomfort of holding conflicting ideas. Cognitive dissonance explains why our feelings can sometimes be paradoxically worse when something good happens or paradoxically better when something bad happens."
As for my personal experience, I have wanted kids for as long as I can remember, and the experience of having two has not changed my mind about the matter. If I were to do it over, I wouldn't have changed a thing, except, maybe have my kids a few years earlier. Sure, my frustrations have grown from handling two little creatures with a development deficiency in the frontal lobe, but the older one, now almost three, is growing and learning quickly how to get what she wants in less painful, more subtle and thoughtful ways. I wouldn't go as far as saying spending a day with my kids is more rewarding than other activities, especially when my older one keeps kicking the ball sideways towards the street rather than to me, which prompts me to sprint to stop her from running into the street after the ball. I will consider the experience more rewarding as soon as she starts kicking the ball back to me, within one or two steps from where I'm standing, TOPS!
As for my personal experience, I have wanted kids for as long as I can remember, and the experience of having two has not changed my mind about the matter. If I were to do it over, I wouldn't have changed a thing, except, maybe have my kids a few years earlier. Sure, my frustrations have grown from handling two little creatures with a development deficiency in the frontal lobe, but the older one, now almost three, is growing and learning quickly how to get what she wants in less painful, more subtle and thoughtful ways. I wouldn't go as far as saying spending a day with my kids is more rewarding than other activities, especially when my older one keeps kicking the ball sideways towards the street rather than to me, which prompts me to sprint to stop her from running into the street after the ball. I will consider the experience more rewarding as soon as she starts kicking the ball back to me, within one or two steps from where I'm standing, TOPS!
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