Parental status diversity: what employers need to know

“So you’re not going to have a baby just because you don’t have family nearby?”

This has been the incredulous reaction of so many of my friends and family, challenging one of my key reasons not to have a baby. Their rationale ranged from “Get over it,” to “Everyone does it now,” to … “It is actually better for the baby.”

They sure did not understand my choice. But the reality is that an increasing number of people including married couples are choosing to not have children. According to 2010 U.S. Census data, the number of childless people age 40 to 44 is close to 20 percent — compared with 10 percent in 1980. Some people call it being “childless.” Given the implied judgment in that term, I prefer calling it being “child free.”

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