Generation Baby Buster

Fewer women are having babies around the world. While a decreasing population might be good for planet Earth, individual nations and societies that depend on young workforces to fund services for the elderly are going to face an increasing problem. Introducing that global perspective but then shifting to a more personal take, writer-director Terra Renton narrows her focus in this documentary to the question women face of whether or not to have a child in the 21st century, also exploring the evolving role of fathers in parenting, the difficulties of balancing motherhood and careers, the price that comes with parents doing too much for their kids (which robs the latter of coping skills), and the hot topic of so-called “free-range kids,” i.e., children who have wide autonomy (able to ride the subway alone, for instance). Along the way, Renton speaks to a number of researchers, authors, and various women, both about how much motherhood is actually valued in America, and the impact that childbearing has on personal choices and lifestyle decisions. It turns out that women with college degrees often lose an enormous amount of money as well as momentum by halting their work to have children (the U.S. is the only industrialized nation that does not offer financial support for maternity or paternity leave). A thought-provoking look at current ambivalence over having children, this is highly recommended. (T. Keogh)