Like the western demographic, the craze for a child-free lifestyle is increasing among the people of India. DINK (Double Income No Kids) i.e. working couples without children are increasing at the rate of 30% every year in India. According to Gitnux Market Data Report-2024, the craze for this lifestyle has increased after the Covid epidemic. Not only this, it was also found that this trend is more popular in villages than in urban areas. The modern couple feels that they will not be able to take the responsibility of the children.
According to the 2011 census, there were almost twice as many couples living the 'DINK' lifestyle in villages in India than the cities. Where in the cities, there were 22% of the two-person families consisting of single couples whereas in villages they were 42%. According to a 2021 report by Pew Research, 61% of Millennials say that they do not earn enough money to sustain a financially stable life with children. They say that with inflation and increasing debts and prices, it is not a wise decision to have children in the modern society.
What is the DINKWAD Lifestyle?
A large number of married couples have become DINKWADS which means Double Income No Kids With A Dog. These people do not want children, but instead adopt dogs. Dogs are a part of their family much like children. Rakhi Tushir, a 25-year-old PR account manager living in Bengaluru, says that she has no regrets about the DINKWAD life. It is wonderful and she wants to live like this in future too.
The DINKWAD lifestyle trend could be the new dream for Millenials and Gen Z. Those who have embraced the DINKWAD, DINK, or SINK (Single Income No Kids) lifestyles commonly say that they are drawn to a way of life free from the responsibilities of parenting and financial stress. The DINKWAD and DINK hashtags on TikTok appear to be particularly popular with gay, lesbian, and LGBTQ community members on the platform.
Several factors contribute to demographic changes. They may increasingly be putting off or choosing not to have children due to increased participation in higher education and the workforce by women, financial concerns, changing familial values, relationship instability, and any other combination of factors, according to sociology experts.