[pfortuny]

Well, because having a child, a descendant is so much more than “procreating”.

And, apart from that, your

“ I'm less interested in parents trying to rationalize what deep down they know was a bad decision, the perpetual "oh but I'd do it all over again" thing when clearly their life is a lot of worse and they're full of regret.”

is very judgmental.

One can be happy in the midst of hardship, difficulty and pain.

One does not have a child because “it is a benefit”. Unless one just sees life as a costly game.

[sforza]

But you're not answering the question. How does "one can be happy in the midst of hardship, difficulty and pain" encourage one to have children? One can also be happy when there is no hardship, difficulty and pain...

[eej71]

I get the sense that you have ingested a lot of information that reinforces your world view of upcoming doom and negativity. The internet is good for that!

What books, ideas, authors and thinkers would you tune into to challenge that? For example, would you even consider Steven Pinker's Enlightenment Now to challenge some of those premises?

[agent008t]

I would note that the grandparent was not disputing the upcoming 'hardship, difficulty and pain' (i.e. 'doom and negativity') that come with procreation, so at least that bit does not seem to be out of place.