Parents often say that the happiest day of their lives is the day their children were born… But is that true? Do kids *actually* make you happier — or lead to more meaningful lives? This week, Erika and Kristen consult the stats to see what the research reveals about the impact parenting has on your happiness. (Spoiler: it’s not great.) To enjoy a nice sit down dinner, visit your local Red Lobster: https://www.redlobster.com/ To reference the study about Texas mothers: https://www.amazon.com/All-Joy-No-Fun-Parenthood/dp/B01L9E1R66 To read the additional data we reference, visit these links: https://positivepsychology.com/parenthood-paradox/https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/why-bad-looks-good/202102/why-many-single-women-without-children-are-so-happy To play along with the Parenting Simulator, download the app here: https://www.choiceofgames.com/user-contributed/parenting-simulator/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dinky-podcast/support