Alexandra Chaini, a journalist, decided to have a child in her 40s. As she told Kathimerini, \u201cI wasn\u2019t pursuing a career before that, I was living the life people in their 30s live.\u201d She and her partner, knowing they wouldn\u2019t have a second child, weren\u2019t swayed by societal expectations. \u201cIt was a taboo: \u2018One child equals no children,\u2019\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
At our meeting one afternoon in a park in the Athenian suburb of Psychiko, her 14-year-old son, Iasonas, a 9th grader, is with her. \u201cHe\u2019s never missed having a sibling,\u201d she said, and Iasonas agrees. \u201cThere are so many only children now, it\u2019s no longer an issue,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
Financial and emotional resources<\/h3>\n
For 53-year-old teacher Dimitra Pournara and her 49-year-old husband, engineer Giorgos Arkoulis, having just one child was a straightforward decision. \u201cYes, we considered having a second child, but we decided against it,\u201d Dimitra told Kathimerini. The couple have a 10-year-old daughter, Sofi.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was during the financial crisis, and I lost my job, so that played a part,\u201d she explained. \u201cWe wanted to give our child everything she needed and ensure she had a good quality of life.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf circumstances had been different, I probably would have had another child, not for myself, but so Sofi could have a sibling,\u201d Dimitra added.<\/p>\n
Raising a child, they note, requires both financial and emotional resources \u2013 something many couples no longer have. \u201cIt takes time and energy to raise a child properly,\u201d they said. \u201cIt\u2019s not just about physical growth or education. A child needs good upbringing, communication with parents and the tools to navigate the world. All of this requires emotional reserves.\u201d<\/p>\n The financial aspect was just as important for 33-year-old network engineer Antonis Demenegas and 36-year-old psychologist Maria Apostolopoulou, who recently welcomed a baby boy. For Maria, who has always prioritized her career, \u201cthe decision took a little longer,\u201d she said. For Antonis, it was equally important to progress in his career while ensuring the right conditions to have a child.<\/p>\n As a self-employed professional and owner of her own psychotherapy center, Maria had to return to work soon. Her emotions were mixed. \u201cReconnecting with my professional identity was crucial for who I am and to keep in touch with past parts of myself. But on the other hand, I struggled with the thought of leaving him \u2013 emotionally and because I felt it was too soon. I wished I could stay at least three more months, but there was no possibility,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n The couple is already concerned about choosing a school. \u201cMy first thought was private school, because of the opportunities, activities and resources it could offer. It\u2019s very expensive, but the state school option feels like a gamble,\u201d Antonis said.<\/p>\n Both Antonis and Maria believe government support is insufficient, pointing out that meeting the income criteria to qualify for assistance is challenging. \u201cWhen it comes to buying a house, don\u2019t even think about it. There\u2019s no money for that, not with the \u2018Spiti Mou 1\u2019 [My Home 1] housing program or its successor \u2018Spiti Mou 2\u2019 [My Home 2],\u201d the young father said when asked about purchasing a home.<\/p>\n Regarding benefits, Maria explained, \u201cThere\u2019s a 2,400-euro benefit. So yes, we used it, but the baby is only 3 months old, and we\u2019ve only received the first installment.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFor me, the main issue wasn\u2019t the benefits,\u201d she added. \u201cI have many friends who are freelancers. We think a significant help would be receiving about 700 euros for a period of time, just to cover office expenses that keep accumulating while you\u2019re not working.\u201d Overall, Maria feels that change is beginning. \u201cThey\u2019re starting to realize they need to take action and support new families. For example, Antonis took paternity leave.\u201d<\/p>\n Antonis confirmed he took about three weeks of paternity leave and is now using child care leave, which gives him one day off per week for the next four years. \u201cThis was very important so Maria could work and I could also be involved in caring for our child,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Dimitra agreed there should be more support, noting that the current benefits don\u2019t make a significant impact. \u201cMy daughter needed 130 euros just for her English books,\u201d she added. \u201cThere\u2019s also a big issue with child care. I could leave my daughter at school until late with extended hours, but that would mean she\u2019d come home exhausted and wouldn\u2019t study. So, I avoided working during those hours.\u201d<\/p>\n A recent qualitative study on Greece\u2019s demographic trends, conducted by the research team at Aretaeio Hospital under Professor Nikos Vlachos, in collaboration with Metron Analysis and the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family (April 2024), found that marriage and starting a family are among the lowest priorities for young people.<\/p>\n Key findings show that 24% of participants would like to have two children, while only 5% want three. The desire to have children typically emerges after the age of 29. Only four in 10 consider having children likely, citing financial constraints, insufficient state support and concerns about the world their children will grow up in. Career, quality of life, travel and securing stable housing are also factors that delay the decision to start a family.<\/p>\n Professor Vlachos, commenting on the study, said: \u201cYou can\u2019t tell a woman, \u2018Don\u2019t pursue a career to have a family.\u2019 That era is over. We need systems that allow women to study or work while also having a family \u2013 such as daycare services in hospitals or factories. Men also need support \u2013 if you have your first child before 30, you shouldn\u2019t be taxed for five years.\u201d<\/p>\n Sophia Zacharaki, minister of social cohesion and family, noted: \u201cThe decision to have children is less linked to financial status than we often think. Researchers found that the root issue lies in personal choices. Based on these findings, the ministry is focusing on measures to support young couples in having a second child or any child at all.\u201d<\/p>\n Zacharaki added: \u201cThe research helped us sharpen our focus, but we understand that any measures will require long-term effort and continuous adaptation to be effective. Realistically, our goal is not to reverse the decline in birth rates but to slow it. It would be unrealistic to expect immediate results after 40 years of decline. The hard data doesn\u2019t allow us to entertain false hopes. Over the past five years, the number of women of reproductive age has dropped by 150,000.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe heard about the measures, but I\u2019m not sure we can trust how they\u2019ll be implemented,\u201d Alexandra said. \u201cGiving a few thousand euros to a couple to have a second child doesn\u2019t seem reasonable to me. We\u2019re not living in the 1950s. We\u2019re independent people who make our own choices. Maybe it works in remote areas of Greece where people lack basic needs. But not for the general population, for those just starting their families,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n \u201cAs for having a second child, we want to, but whether we\u2019ll have the means, in every sense, I don\u2019t know,\u201d said Maria. \u201cFor now, all our focus is on our little one. Having a child is a huge responsibility. It\u2019s no small matter. Everyone needs to understand that.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"why-greeks-arent-having-a-second-child0\"](\"https:\/\/www.ekathimerini.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/824A7379%CE%B1%CE%B1%CE%B1-1.jpg?1738943455226\")
Dozens of concerns<\/h3>\n
![\"why-greeks-arent-having-a-second-child2\"](\"https:\/\/www.ekathimerini.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/824A7026%CE%B1%CE%B1%CE%B1-1.jpg?1738943551995\")
\u2018Something is slowly starting to move\u2019<\/h3>\n
First qualitative study on demographic trends<\/h3>\n
How does a couple decide?<\/h3>\n
Second-largest population decline in the EU<\/h3>\n
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