A new genre of cultural confession has emerged: mothers publicly expressing regret for having children. A recent article in The Cut featured several women who describe wishing they could return to their former lives, before the demands and permanence of parenthood. ‘Parent regret is more common than you might think,’ the piece notes, pointing to online communities where thousands gather anonymously to express what remains shameful (for now) to say aloud. Similar articles have appeared in outlets such as The Guardian, while a piece in Forbes presents these stories as guidance for those weighing whether to have children.
8:51 AM
From childless by choice to parental regret
As essays on parental regret become more visible, they do more than describe experience, they help construct a narrative that may shape how others approach the question of having children
Noelle Mering
5 min read
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