'My Bloodline Will Die With Me': Woman Says Three Layoffs Ended Her Dream of Having Children

One millennial woman says three layoffs and ongoing financial difficulties have led her to give up on having children. In a Reddit post, she described how repeated job losses and the mental health struggles that followed left her feeling unable to support a child.

She had previously considered adoption, writing: 'I was on the fence, hoping to adopt if things played out right in my career.' However, the setbacks that followed eventually changed her plans.

Three Layoffs Changed Her Plans

She explained: 'Well, after 3 layoffs and the resulting mental health issues I've had because of it, I have given up on having kids.' She also pointed to financial and personal challenges, saying, 'I am not financially in a position, and it's hard to find a partner on the same wavelength these days.' She described the job and dating markets as 'horrible'.

Additionally, she is also caring for her ageing parents and worries that expensive medical treatment could further strain her finances. 'My bloodline will die with me,' she wrote.

Her comments also highlighted the financial trade-offs she believes many millennial women face when considering whether to have children: 'This is America for millennial women. Some of us do want kids but also want to not go on welfare or work four jobs to take care of them.'

The High Cost of Starting a Family

The woman's concerns come as the cost of raising children remains a challenge for many prospective parents. Fertility has fallen worldwide, with UN projections putting the global rate at 2.23 births per woman in 2026.

Mel Faxon, a childcare affordability specialist and co-founder of Mirza, says the impact of childcare costs goes beyond the price of daycare. 'Too often, however, people lose control over their decisions due to the overwhelming cost of childcare,' Faxon said. She stressed that leaving the workforce can create long-term financial setbacks, including lost earnings, smaller retirement contributions, and slower career advancement.

'The motherhood penalty makes up 80% of the gender pay gap,' she said, adding that one year out of the workforce could cost a woman 39% of her lifetime earnings. For women who already face job insecurity, these pressures can make starting a family seem financially impossible. Rather than simply weighing whether to have children, some may also have to consider childcare costs, career prospects, and long-term financial stability.

Divided Views on Parenthood

The post prompted a range of reactions on Reddit, with users divided over how much financial security should factor into the decision to have children. 'Same boat. Don't have kids. What's coming for all of us is worse than what we are experiencing,' one commenter wrote.

Another said that the cost of raising kids is harder to manage in an unstable economy. 'Kids are expensive, and it's even MORE difficult to provide and protect them in this unstable economy and helter skelter world. I don't blame anyone for not having them.'

Others pushed back, arguing that parenthood does not require financial certainty. One user wrote, 'I had my child at the worst economic time for our family. Guess what? It worked out just fine,' adding that, 'What matters is that they have someone to care for them.' For some, financial stability is a condition for parenthood; for others, it is something they can build along the way.