A new study from NBC News shows that Generation Z (ages 18-29) places marriage and children low on their list of priorities in life. The top priority for women is having a fulfilling career, followed closely by having enough money to do what they want, and third is achieving financial independence. Further down the list, “having children” is ranked tenth, and after that, at number eleven, is the desire to get married. The survey offered a total of thirteen options. For men, similar priorities to women were also high on the list, with marriage coming in at number seven and children at number eight. This comes as birth rates in the United States are at an all-time low, according to the CDC. The NBC study went on to separate Harris voters from Trump voters, and the priorities shifted somewhat once that distinction was made. Harris voters put children and marriage lower on the list than Trump voters. Trump male voters placed having children as their number one priority, while they put marriage down at number four. Both Trump and Harris female voters, on the other hand, prioritized career and money over a husband and children.
Pew Research released a study in 2023, showing that the decline of marriage in the United States and the simultaneous rise in childless couples have contributed to a fundamental change in family structure. We now see a much larger cohort of people who have never been married, a rise in cohabitating couples, and a rise in same-sex couples.
As the traditional nuclear family declines, we are also experiencing an increase in trends such as DINKs (Dual Income, No Kids), SINKs (Single Income, No Kids), and SINBADs (Single Income, No Boyfriend/Assets/Dude). Pop culture has helped glamourize materialism, and our consumer-driven society promotes living for oneself, offering an attractive and bewitching concoction of pleasure without sacrifice and self-love instead of selfless love.
Consumerism may line the pockets of businessmen and shareholders, but it does so at the expense of people’s sense of purpose and fulfillment, which traditionally comes from the family unit. Over the past 20 years, the number of families with children has decreased, while pet ownership has increased. Simultaneously, Americans are spending significantly more on their pets than on childcare, and there are even acronyms for those who prefer owning a dog over having a child; they are called DINKWADS (Dual Income, No Kids, With A Dog) and DINKWACs (Dual Income, No Kids, With A Cat). This trend suggests that an increasing number of people are turning to pets to fill the void traditionally filled by a spouse and children. As this continues, the pet industry is expanding and is projected to reach nearly $500 billion by 2030.
This highlights the importance of messages that promote the value of children and families. Only a little has been done in this area overall, and there is still much to do. The Trump administration issued an executive order expanding access to in vitro fertilization (something Christians must contest, instead supporting avenues such as adoption) as well as introducing “baby bonuses” aimed at encouraging Americans to have children. Before his murder last week, Charlie Kirk dedicated much time to promoting family and family values nationwide and on college campuses. He advocated for abandoning hook-up culture and instead finding a spouse, committing to one another in marriage, and having children. We need conversations about this in the church in particular. I have known some wonderful Christians who would like to find a believing spouse and get married, but are unable because those around them have different priorities.
Marriage and children are not only beneficial for our economy, as a shrinking workforce and aging population will have significant effects on our infrastructure and culture at large, but it is important to note that historically, this is a primary way that people have found a sense of meaning and fulfillment in their lives. God established this system of marriage from the very beginning of creation with Adam and Eve. He created men and women to marry and form their own families. Through this, many people find a profound sense of purpose. It is also helps turns a person outward and towards the service of other human beings.
This core Christian value should be cherished and upheld by believers. As Christians, we believe that our career is not the primary purpose of our life and that children and a spouse are more valuable than gold. While society promotes abortion, money, career, self-love, and pets as substitutes for children, Christians should continue sharing positive messages about family and children. We must reject the negative statements and social media posts from the secular culture that lament children as a burden and annoyance. Such messages affect people on a fundamental level. Negative words about our kids influence how people view having their own children. We need to openly and consistently speak about the blessing of God’s plan for men and women, and emphasize that children are a gift, not just for their parents, but for society as a whole.
