A new study out of the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research is indicating that older moms are the happiest group of women in the country.

After examining nearly 6, 000 women, the result appears to be that, " ... it's not so much whether you have children as when you have them", as the next happiest group consisted of older women without kids, with young mothers coming out as the least happy, although it's a close call between the older moms and the older non-moms.

Using different study parameters than usual, it was not just the typical childless women compared to mothers that is normally how divisions are made, but the late-life well-being of non-mothers compared to three groups of mothers.

The comparison suggests it's the timing of motherhood that matters most.

The study, to be published in an issue of International Journal of Aging and Human Development, also indicates the most important factor for happiness is support and the people around a woman ... a "husband, a significant other or close social relationships in her life as she ages."

Granted, the age ranges listed classed young mothers as those having children before they were nineteen and older those who had their first children after the age of twenty-five, so the study does not specifically address those of us adopting in our forties, fifties and beyond, but many of the points are valid.

Much of what makes us happy has to do with security and social standing, so with teen mothers the most likely of the groups to be single with lower incomes while older mothers tended to be more educated and financially secure, personal 'happiness' is reflected.

Interestingly, previous studies have suggested that psychological well-being ... happiness as it's interpreted here ... declines when women have children, and only swings upward again when the nest empties. This study finds the most happiness where kids are still at home, leading researchers to believe that delaying motherhood may have benefits not taken into account until now.

I think many of us here would be happy to vouch for the fact that having children around is very good for our 'psychological well-being', and that having an excuse to make mud pies, get all excited about the latest "Harry Potter", and play endless games of "Go fish!" ... My son is turing into a card shark! ... makes us very happy.

For more on the happy geezers we are, here's a link to happiness, and here's another.