I don’t have the citation to hand, but IIRC there’s research suggesting higher variance among parents is the most significant effect.
This fits to something Dan Savage (not a scientist but someone worth listening to on matters of family relationships) said:
Kids are like heroin, a little heroin addiction. When it’s bad, you’ve never been so miserable, but when it’s good you’ve never been so high.
Good to know, but does that research clarify whether happiness is overall higher or lower in the long run?
You mean on average? The studies I’m thinking of had small or no differences, but I’m pretty sure there are other results out there.
I don’t have the citation to hand, but IIRC there’s research suggesting higher variance among parents is the most significant effect.
This fits to something Dan Savage (not a scientist but someone worth listening to on matters of family relationships) said:
Good to know, but does that research clarify whether happiness is overall higher or lower in the long run?
You mean on average? The studies I’m thinking of had small or no differences, but I’m pretty sure there are other results out there.