In a paper named a “Global Perspective on Happiness and Fertility” the researchers asked: Taking all things together, would you say you are very happy, quite happy, somewhat happy, or not at all happy with people who have children? There was a wide variety of responses.
They tried to tie it together to some socio-economic factor, but the truth is – whether you have kids or not will not determine if you are happy. How you perceive the situation is going to make you happy or not happy.
If you are feeling dominated by your children, then you are not going to be happy about it.
How do you feel dominated by your children? You feel like they have control. You feel like they are deciding what the mood and what the actions are in the family. When you have struck some equilibrium where everybody gets to play, everyone gets to decide, you feel fulfilled and satisfied, you feel expressed, then guess what – you are going to feel happy.
Your happiness depends on you, not external factors.