More men choose not to have children

It is from ABC Lifestyle.

The topic is family.

It was published on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at 12:05 pm.

Ian does not want children. He knew this from a young age.

Ian was 13 when his dad left home. This made him think he did not want kids.

Ian is 48 and from Adelaide. He thinks he was always meant to not have kids based on his family.

Ian did not want to make the same mistakes as his dad.

Ian likes to travel and be free. He does not think being a dad is for him.

About 15% of Australian men do not want kids. This is from a 2025 survey.

This is up from 11% in 2005.

Most research on not having kids has been about women. This is because society expects women to have kids more than men.

Imogene Smith is a psychologist who studied men who do not want kids.

She says talking about why men do not want kids can help them feel supported.

More men are choosing not to have kids.

Many men said their family was a reason they did not want kids.

Understanding why people do not want kids can help us be more thoughtful.

Some men said they did not want kids because of their dad.

Some men had many siblings and saw how hard it was for their parents.

The idea of being a parent is based on what we see in our parents.

Some men want to be different and not follow the norm.

Some men knew from a young age they did not want kids.

Men also talked about fears like the environment and health.

Some men were worried about money and could not afford to have kids.

If you are a man who chose not to have kids, we want to hear from you.

Men were also influenced by seeing their friends with kids.

Some men said they did not want to lose their free time.

Do men face pressure to have kids?

Ian knew he did not want kids from a young age.

But he was open to changing his mind.

Ian met his wife who felt the same way about not having kids.

Not having kids is part of what brought them together.

Ian is happy with just having a dog.

Some men feel pressure to have kids to carry on the family name.

But most men Dr. Smith talked to were not bothered by this pressure.

Research has shown that childless men have poorer health.

But Dr. Smith thinks this might be different for younger men.

How do people view child-free men?

Ian does not feel pressure to have kids, but people are sometimes surprised.

People often ask Ian about having kids and are shocked when he says no.

Research has shown that child-free men are viewed more positively than child-free women.

Child-free men are seen as warmer and more social.

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A study found that child-free women are seen as spinsters, while child-free men are seen as living the dream.

The men in Dr. Smith's study were not worried about what others thought.

They felt they contributed to society in their own way.

Some men did charity work or worked with young people.

They felt good about their choice and did not think it made them less of a person.

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