- The DINK (dual income, no children) lifestyle is attracting attention in America.
- Tiffany Wasiuk expressed relief at finding a partner who shares her choice to live without children.
- Despite economic stability and freedom, societal attitudes toward DINKs remain slow to change.
Tiffany Wasiuk, 42, was ready to marry her now-husband when he told her on their first date that he didn't want children.
“It was a surprise when we actually met. We found someone who also didn't want children,” she said. We were both shocked to find someone who thought the same way.
Wasiuku is part of a growing number of DINKs (couples with dual incomes and no children) who are gaining prominence in American pop culture, thanks in large part to social media. Check out our millions of views on videos about the perks of being a DINK.
In countries where paid leave is not guaranteed, childcare costs are increasing and becoming difficult to maintain. Villages need to be set up to help care for children, economic mobility becomes increasingly unaffordable, and the confluence of climate and political crises brings the idea of becoming a DINK into the spotlight. I am collecting. For some, it is one of the last resorts to achieve the American dream of financial security, freedom, and the opportunity to retire on their own terms.
For Wasiuku, the road to becoming a DINK was a long one. She was given a baby doll when she was little, but she remembers that she wasn't into the idea of playing house or playing mom.
“I never wanted to play that role,” she said. In her teens, she took a babysitting course, but her one time babysitting caused so much anxiety for her that she never babysat again.
“I remember all my friends talking about being mothers and what they were going to name their kids,” she said. “I could never connect to those conversations.” She never imagined herself getting pregnant or having a child, so she wondered if there was something wrong with her. was worried.
“When I reached young adulthood in college, I realized I didn't need to be a mother or have children. That's OK. There are people out there who don't need to be mothers,” she said. Ta. “But for a long time, I thought there was something wrong with me, because I didn't feel that kind of general social norm.”
These days, Wasiuk is a happy DINK in Virginia Beach, Virginia. She is grateful to have found her like-minded partner. Lifestyle choices mean financial security and preparedness, which is what sets DINK apart. After all, DINKs have emerged as a major economic force in the United States, with the net worth of DINKs surveyed exceeding the net worth of every other type of family structure surveyed, according to the latest consumer survey. This was revealed in a financial investigation.
This lifestyle also means Wasiuku, who has chronic health issues, doesn't have to balance caring for his family. Another aspect of DINKdom is that it has come as a relief to those facing unexpected twists and turns in life.
Being a DINK means traveling and boating, but it's not entirely socially acceptable
Wasiuk works on the business side of the healthcare industry. Ten years ago, she earned her master's degree while working. Her husband had always been keen to save for her retirement since she was young, and she followed suit. They max out their investment accounts every year.
“Our portfolio is doing very well, and I’m really grateful for that,” she said. “And I know that not having children contributes significantly to that expense.”
Like many other DINKs, Wasiuk and her husband love to travel. They take her on two wonderful trips a year and love her all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean.
Their dual-income lifestyle meant they made purchases that their colleagues couldn't. She bought a Corvette convertible, they bought a fishing boat and a motor yacht. They recently sold a motor yacht they had owned for 12 years. All of this is possible because they don't have children and have been strategic about their money and savings.
“We live a boating lifestyle here in Virginia. We were boating every weekend, and we were by far the youngest at the marina,” she said. . “It's something we've always wanted to do and we had to do it while we were in our 30s. Most of the people at the marina were already retired.”
She doesn't take it for granted. Wasiuk said there were moments when she was pinched in response to what she was able to do, but she was always grateful. Her parents also had a boat at the marina, and she was able to go boating with Wasiuk and her husband.
“I couldn't ask for a better life than this. It was truly phenomenal. So it's something I'll always have and always carry with me. You can't buy it. It's priceless,” she said. Ta.
Wasiuk said she has received some offhand comments from past co-workers about not having children, but these have become less common as she's gotten older. She is blessed with a supportive network of friends who never question her choices, she said. Her friends love kids and love seeing photos of her adventures.
However, she believes that society's perception of DINK has not changed much. And she believes that, if it does change, it is happening very slowly. A study of DINKs and social attitudes toward parents found that, in the words of the researchers, “parents strongly support other parents, but childless adults do not necessarily support other childless adults.” It has been found. The poll also showed that Millennials surveyed believe there should be a moratorium on having children, especially because of environmental and other harms. Still, these millennials remain a minority.
Wasiuk said women are expected to be mothers, wives or have jobs.
“I have a job, but because of my severe chronic illness, I may not have a job one day. Does that make me any less valuable to society? No, that's just American society right now. ” she said. “I think people just see us as being selfish for not wanting kids. And actually, we think it's very unselfish to make that decision for a variety of reasons. But our instinct in society is to call us “selfish.” “
Are you a DINK who enjoys the lifestyle or would you like to be more accepted? Contact this reporter at: jkaplan@businessinsider.com.
