Some older adults experience regret related to their decisions about having children, with common themes including loneliness, missed experiences, and relationship challenges with their children. However, many others find fulfillment and happiness in their choices, whether they have children or not. The impact of having or not having children on an individual's later life satisfaction is complex and multifaceted. It varies based on individual circumstances and the quality of relationships involved. 

Older people may experience regret related to their parenting, often stemming from a reevaluation of their past actions and a desire to have done things differently. This regret can be linked to a longing for grandparenthood, as they look back on their parenting years and wish they had been more involved or made different choices. While some older parents may report higher levels of parenting stress, many also report low levels of depression and anxiety. 

Missed experiences:

Some older adults, particularly those who chose not to have children, express regret about missing out on typical parenting experiences, such as watching children grow, participating in school activities, and experiencing the joys of grandchildren. 

Loneliness and lack of support:

Some older individuals who chose not to have children report feeling lonely and lacking a support network in later life, wishing they had someone to share their love and care with. 

Complicated relationships with children:

Conversely, some older adults with children express regret about strained or severe relationships, where the parent-child bond is not what they hoped for. 

Quality of relationships:

The quality of relationships, both with children and within social circles, plays a crucial role in the life satisfaction of older adults. 

Social and cultural norms:

Societal expectations about family and parenthood can influence individual choices and potential regrets. 

Individual personality and circumstances:

Personal preferences, life experiences, and individual circumstances significantly impact how individuals perceive their choices regarding children. 

They are proud grandparents now, but some of them realise that back then, they rarely did many of the fun things they do now with the grandkids weekly.

Watching movies together, the grandkids want to see, playing board games (even if they take forever), singing songs in the car, driving to a place to have pancakes and coffee, and watching the grandkids afterwards in total awe when they draw these fantastic drawings. At the same time, they can hardly remember a single drawing of their kids. Did they even draw?

Going to a school play and seeing the tears in their eyes when their grandchild came on stage, while never having shed a single tear for their kids during school plays more than thirty years ago, because they still had a lot of work to do afterwards, and the play never stopped.

That is the universal regret of older people, and the very greatest common divisor of all their regrets: realising that they are great grandparents now, as opposed to the lousy parents they once were.

And that there's nothing they can do about it.