Parenthood

Cover of Parenthood, Moment Report No. 10

Moment Report No. 10 · 15 pages · 11 sources

How does a first child change people's lives and choices?

A first child reshapes sleep, time, money and work. Studies find that happiness rises in the years around a first birth and then returns to its earlier level, that parents' sleep suffers for years, and that mothers' earnings fall by about a fifth in the long run. Where leave and childcare are generous, parents fare much better.

What the report found

  1. Family growth is a national priority. The UAE has declared 2026 the Year of the Family, within a National Family Growth Agenda for 2031.
  2. New parents have leave in law. Under the UAE's labour law, private sector mothers receive 60 days of maternity leave, and either parent can take five working days of paid parental leave.
  3. Happiness rises before the birth, then returns. In large German and British studies, life satisfaction rose in the years around a first birth and then fell back to its earlier level, on average.
  4. Mothers pay a lasting price at work. In Denmark, women's earnings fell by about a fifth in the long run after a first child, while men's were barely affected.
  5. Support helps parents thrive. Across 22 countries, parents' happiness was closest to, or above, that of non-parents where paid leave and childcare were more generous.

What is inside

  1. The moment
  2. Before: deciding and preparing
  3. During: the first months and years
  4. After: happiness and what shapes it
  5. What lasts

Plus UAE parental leave entitlements, the first-time choices expectant parents face and a graded list of claims.

Who it is for

For employers, policymakers, healthcare providers, brands serving families and anyone expecting a first child.

How we work

Moment Reports look at how people think and decide at particular points in the year or in life, starting with the UAE and then the wider Gulf. Every claim is graded Established, Emerging or Untested. Where researchers disagree, as they do on whether parenthood makes people happier, both sides are set out before we say where we stand.

Cite this report

The Why We Project (2026) Parenthood: How a first child rewires choices. Moment Report No. 10. Dubai: Why We Tech Ltd. Available at: thewhyweproject.com