Massive inflation of health care, education, housing prices isn't helping. I probably won't ever have children due to those factors. (aside: I'm gay and would b

Massive inflation of health care, education, housing prices isn't helping. I probably won't ever have children due to those factors. (aside: I'm gay and would be adopting anyway, so I guess it doesn't matter, but my straight friends are in the same boat) For people that went the college route (which 95% of the people at my high school did, for context), there was 4-5 years of study during prime child-making, partner-finding years. Now you're 22-23. Then it takes 10 years to pay off the 80k of debt (assuming a comparatively cheap 20k per year) before you can start saving for a house. Maybe you're very wise and are able to pay off your loans two years early. Now you're 30 - 10 years away from the presumed biological clock running out. Next, you've got to save for a house and find a partner. You could argue that renting is fine and you don't need a house, but it seems like home ownership is desirable to create stable conditions for the family. Housing is extremely expensive; a tiny home near me is going for $400,000. It might take another few years to save up a 10% deposit, assuming you're stuck paying potentially extreme rent. Once you've got a house, you've got to be very secure in your career before you can risk having a child; insurance is very expensive. Even with an employer contribution, healthcare for a family likely costs upwards of $1,000/month; that's comparable to rent in many places. On top of all of those structural barriers to parenthood, American society is facing massive uncertainty, deteriorating economic conditions, democracy under serious threat, and ongoing attacks on the environment and institutions that keep people safe and healthy. And finally there's the culture part of it. For the last 30 years, there's been an emphasis on teens never, ever, ever doing anything sexual, because the horror. Then as soon as they turn 18, parents/society are suddenly asking about grandchildren.