Emily Moran: Don’t lay blame for falling birth rates on shoulders of millennials

Re “U.S. fertility rate hits a historic low” (Page 13A, July 1): Saturday’s story on declining birth rates lacked important context. The average cost to raise a child is $233,610, not including college. “Entitled” millennials are already struggling – 1 in 5 live in poverty, and while 22 percent have a college degree many are saddled with debt.

Those of us who have good-paying salaried jobs often feel pressured to work well over 40 hours a week, and we wonder how we would find time to raise a child properly. This is especially true for women, who still spend twice as much time on childcare as men.

Despite declining birth rates, the U.S. population has continued to grow through immigration. The global population is projected to grow by 1.2 billion by 2030 and more people need more resources. Slowing population growth rates are necessary for a sustainable future, so maybe instead of trying to guilt money- and time-stressed young people into having kids, developed nations should create retiree-support programs that don’t assume a high ratio of young workers to seniors to support it. The U.S. in particular should address issues of stagnant wages, lack of affordable childcare, rising college costs and convoluted or counterproductive immigration policies.

This story was originally published July 6, 2017 at 4:21 PM with the headline "Emily Moran: Don’t lay blame for falling birth rates on shoulders of millennials."