A millennial woman is going viral on the internet for asking why people choose to become parents in the first place.
Jay, who goes by @jay1na on Threads, wrote: “Name 1, just one, enjoyable solid reason to have a child.”
Jay, who is a mom to 3-year-old twins with her wife Ashley, told Newsweek that her post came from a sense that the platform could use something lighter. She wanted to “make space for a conversation and hear insight from other people, whether it was funny or sad or motivational. A few nasty comments were deleted,” Jay added.
Thousands of parents weighed in on the conversation—and their responses did not disappoint.
One person offered the practical perk of having a built-in helper: toddlers, after all, can fetch the TV remote so adults don’t have to leave the couch.
Others leaned into nostalgia and healing. “You get a second chance at childhood but this time, you get to decide exactly how it goes,” another user wrote.
Someone delighted in the idea of reclaiming a favorite dinosaur, while another described the quiet magic of cooking something new and watching a child taste it for the first time, carefully processing every flavor before deciding whether it was wonderful or offensive.
There were also reflections on the earliest days of parenthood. “When they’re a baby they look into your eyes like you’re their whole world and they need nothing else. It’s the purest, sweetest love,” another commented.
“When they are tired or scared and all they want is to be with you, and your embrace is enough to bring them comfort. That’s love unlike anything else,” a third Threads user agreed.
One mom shared that her main reason for having a child was to create a family. Rather than multiple members, the word “family” has taken on a new meaning. “Family doesn’t have to be your child, it can be a sibling or you can be really close with your adult mother and go everywhere with her. But asking why you should have a child is like asking why should you have a family member that you love and adore and loves and adores you.”
What stood out most wasn’t just the volume of replies, but the patterns within them. Jay noticed a quiet generational divide emerging in real time.
“I was genuinely surprised by how much it took off,” Jay said. “It was really eye-opening and wholesome to see how many people are actively breaking generational cycles and choosing to show up with love and intention for their children. I also didn’t realize how many of us really did have those same lackluster emotional connections with our parents or that older generation.”