Whether to embrace parenthood or remain child-free is a decision to be taken by the couple alone. But the societal norms have created a mental checklist for individuals to live their lives a certain way. And when you get married, it is assumed that you’re gonna become parents sooner or later.
While the older generation of our grandparents had just finished processing the idea of delayed parenthood, many couples are now opting to go DINK by adopting the “Dual Income, No Kids” lifestyle. While the term has been around since the late 1980s, it has recently gained traction on social media where couples are showcasing the benefits of going DINK.
In today’s competitive world, career priority is a major influence on the decision to embark on the DINK lifestyle. Couples these days are redefining parenthood by having a serious take on their decision of whether to pursue a child-free life or postpone the plan to become parents once they are at a certain point in their career. Some are even following the social media trend, showcasing the money they save with dual incomes and the kind of lifestyle they can adopt with an increased disposable income. While the idea of voluntarily being childless at first seems ‘unfitting’ in society, many couples choose to challenge the traditional norms and this shift indicates a growing independence of diverse family dynamics.
Many feel that being a DINK, you can spend more on your lifestyle by traveling and having freedom of your own without getting bound by the responsibilities of having and raising a child. Increasing pollution, global warming, population explosion, and an ever-growing cost of living are a few other reasons why couples are looking down on choosing to bring a child into this world. At the same time, some have contrary beliefs thinking of being alone in old age if one spouse dies or having no one to look after them in later years. Some question the reason for earning and saving with no child in the future while some also have a FOMO on parenthood.
The concept is pretty controversial but couples are now choosing to decide on their own instead of getting carried away by family structures or cultural norms. Certain couples even choose to become plant parents or pet parents which is again coined as DINKWAD (double income no kids, with a dog) on social media. There are even incidents where DINKs are facing challenges in financial planning with ‘dual’ disposable incomes as they tend to spend more on traveling, hobbies, and other non-conventional experiences. On the other hand, some get to save a lot for their future and even invest in a comfortable life as they grow old.
Ultimately, it is the couple’s individual choice and decision whether to become parents or to delay or forgo parenthood and go DINK.
