The ‘experts’ are convinced that women are just “forgetting” to have children, relying too much on the not-so-miracle cure of reproductive technology to have babies relatively late in life. A poll today in the Guardian shows that isn’t the case:
The poll makes it clear that people are not relying on fertility technology to allow them to have children later. Only 35% of men and women said they would think of delaying having children because of it.
The results show that while most people think it is best to have a baby before 30 (they are answering a question about the “ideal”), they simply are not making this their top priority – above, say, personal happiness, by perhaps grabbing the first vaguely appropriate partner who comes along.
On that line, Libby Brookes drags out that old story about “too much choice” stopping people forming partnerships. Stuff and nonsense – turn the lens around the other way, and realise that in the past there was very little choice, and people got stuck in all sorts of horrible relationships, sometimes even going into them knowing they would be pretty awful, but feeling they had no other option. Celebrate choice!
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