Can't speak for everyone else, but I'm absolutely a better person that I would have been otherwise. My wife and kids are the greatest joys in my life, each and every day. I don't get to travel everywhere I want, I don't get to just say fuck it all and play video games all night, I don't get to drop everything and do stuff with friends at the drop of a hat. And I don't care. I love this life and my family, and they aren't worth trading at any cost.
All that said, I have an incredible support system. Both sets of my wife and I's parents are willing to do everything they can for our children, our social group consists of a variety of friends and couples, some with children and some without (many that we talk to at least once a week), so our social lives have remained healthy and active. We are homeowners, we both have associates degrees, and I'm currently in a training program for a good certification, as well as going back to finish my bachelors and pursue further education. We have jobs that pay decently and the cost of living is relatively low compared to the entire country. We've had a lot go right for us, which encouraged having children in the first place. It's not something to do on a whim, to save a relationship, or to save yourself. You have to be 100% committed to putting the lives and needs of other beings well above your own. It's not for everybody, and I respect that. No child deserves to come into world that doesn't want them.
But again, and I mean this wholeheartedly, I have yet to find anything else in life as fulfilling as my kids. Even the little mean a lot. My son, who is now four and the oldest of three kids, is old enough that I let him play my Switch. He accidentally erased my Mario Odyssey file that I had completed and slowly built up a collection of moons. I didn't get mad, and instead let him take ownership of the file. A month later and we went through the entire game together (he got really good, really fast), passing the controller back and forth. He was overcome with joy every time we played together, and when we beat Bowser, his excitement reminded me of feelings I haven't felt since I was a child. It's hard to explain it, but the little moments like that add up quick, and I've experience so much good in life in such a short time. Maybe this helps shed some light on why some people find it so rewarding to have kids. I hope it does. It's not for everyone, and if you're not completely sure or committed, don't do it. But it certainly isn't the end of a fulfilling life, if you do have one or more.
