Latest news with #meaningfulLife
Free Malaysia Today
10-06-2025
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
Why parents may have a greater sense of appreciation for life
Parenthood doesn't guarantee happiness, but it can offer meaning and a sense of direction in life. (Rawpixel pic) PARIS : Parenthood is frequently perceived as an essential step towards personal fulfilment. Behind this tenacious myth lies a more nuanced reality – having children doesn't necessarily make you happier, but it may well make life more meaningful, according to a major European study published in the Journal of Marriage and Family. Conducted by Ansgar Hudde and Marita Jacob, researchers at the University of Cologne, this sociological survey is based on the responses of over 43,000 Europeans from 30 countries. The experts aimed to identify the effects of parenthood on the two pillars of well-being: life satisfaction, and the feeling of leading a meaningful life. They found that being a parent doesn't systematically make people happier, especially over the long term. On the other hand, it does profoundly alter people's perception of their own existence. 'Previous debates about parenthood have focused too much on happiness and satisfaction,' Hudde explained. 'Our study shows that people who have children are not automatically happier, but they are more likely to feel that their own lives are meaningful and valuable.' However, the relationship between parenthood and life satisfaction varies in relation to social circumstances. Mothers from modest backgrounds have a lower level of life satisfaction than women from equivalent socioeconomic backgrounds without children. On the other hand, this difference is much less pronounced among women from wealthier backgrounds. As for men, the parental factor seems to carry little weight in life satisfaction, regardless of social background. When it comes to finding meaning in life, however, boundaries blur. Whether men or women, rich or poor, parents are more likely to say their existence has value. This sense of meaning transcends borders and social circumstances. And under certain conditions, happiness and meaning can go hand in hand. This is typically the case in Nordic countries, where family policies and institutional support enable parents to reconcile personal fulfilment and parenthood. 'The results show that good societal conditions can make both things possible: meaning and satisfaction,' Hudde stressed. Among other major findings, the researchers reported that the birth of a first child triggers a peak in satisfaction – which is short-lived. On the other hand, the feeling of having a meaningful life takes hold for good. It's a reminder that, while parenthood doesn't guarantee happiness, it can offer a sense of direction; a reason for being that can help us withstand the ups and downs of life.
The Guardian
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Six great reads: Swiss bunkers, what Alexa heard and red-pill manosphere hucksters
'It was, we were told, a case of sudden infant death syndrome interrupted. What followed would transform my understanding of parenting, disability and the breadth of what makes a meaningful life.'In this remarkable account, Archie Bland tells the story of the night his son Max nearly died and of what came next. Read more Bethan McKernan spent four years as the Guardian's Jerusalem correspondent, a period marked by the horrors of 7 October 2023 and what has followed in Gaza. As she begins her new role as the Guardian's Wales correspondent, she looked back at her period in the Middle East and how it has shaped her and her understanding of the region. Read more Switzerland is home to more than 370,000 nuclear bunkers – enough to shelter every member of the population. But, asked Jessi Jezewska Stevens, if the worst should happen, would they actually work? Read more 'In September 2016, a new presence appears in our house, squatting on the kitchen counter between the kettle and the coffee machine. It is blandly futuristic, a minimal cylinder with an LED ring that glows blue to alert us to the fact that it is ready, poised to answer our questions or carry out our instructions, as long as those instructions are clearly stated and fall within a narrow band of available 'skills'.' For nearly a decade, Alexa has been listening to Jeremy Ettinghausen and his family's questions and instructions. What had she heard? And what did it tell him about the role Amazon's smart speaker plays in so many of our lives? Read more After 380 games and more than 1,000 goals the 2024-25 Premier League season came to an end last weekend. Jonny Weeks told the story of a dramatic (in parts) season via the work of the best sports photographers in the game – including our own brilliant Tom Jenkins. Read more 'When I first met Nick in 2019, at a dating and self-improvement summit in Miami, it wasn't immediately obvious why he was paying so much money to pseudo-authority figures from the manosphere. He had looks, cash and some of the easy swagger of London done good … ' So writes James Bloodworth in his fascinating (and worrying) profile of a friend who went down the digital rabbit hole. Nick's story is a cautionary tale of what happens when someone who feels inadequate listens to the new generation of masculinity salesmen Read more
