Mikor vállaljunk gyereket?

A túl korai, az ideális, és a túl késõi gyermekvállalás életkori normái európai összehasonlításban

Abstract

This paper analyzes the questions related to the timing of life events –particularly certain phases of becoming adults – in the third wave of European Social Survey. It focuses on the first cohabitation and marriage as well as the timing and the ideal age of becoming parents. Nowadays, the timing of the first childbearing has shifted to older ages all over Europe; therefore, we consider it important to examine whether the attitudes toward the ideal age of childbearing have adjusted to this trend. First of all, we analyze attitude type questions, we focus on when people think it is ideal, too late or too early to become a mother or a father. We have examined the ideal time of childbearing not only from age aspect but also regarding when it would be ideal compared to other life events of becoming adults (cohabitation, marriage) in each of the countries. We have found out whether in Europe the first childbearing is actually considered part of the process of becoming adults or not. We have paid special attention to the Hungarian data: we have examined how the educational level, the age groups, the type of residence, the religion and the gender variables influence the attitudes towards age norms of childbearing in Hungary.