Married With Children Paves Way to Happiness

HealthDay, November, 2009 by Randy Dotinga

Want to be a happy married couple? Consider having kids.

A new study found that having children boosts happiness. And the more, literally, the merrier.

But unmarried couples shouldn't expect to find greater happiness through child-raising. The study, published in the Oct. 14 online edition of the Journal of Happiness Studies , suggests that having children has little or no effect on boosting happiness among couples who aren't hitched.

The findings contradict previous research that suggested that having more offspring doesn't lead to greater happiness and might even make people less satisfied with their lives. One theory behind the conclusion is that parents don't receive many rewards in return for the hard work of raising children.

The new study, however,...

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