Mum, dad and kids — no longer a typical Kiwi family

Mum, dad and kids — this is no longer a conventional household in New Zealand as they are increasingly replaced by childless or empty-nest couples.

Couples without children at home overtook couples with children at home in 2008 for the first time since at least World War II, according to latest statistics.

One reason may be the ageing population because of increased life expectancy and lower death rates.

But the lower birth rate, and a rise in the median age of mothers giving birth in their thirties means there are also growing numbers of young adults who have not yet had children — and increasingly never will.

According to The New Zealand Herald, experts Bill Boddington and Robert Didham said that while some choose to remain childless, for some education, career, mortgages, change in family and partners are why they don't have kids.

"We should be doing everything we can to promote stable two-parent homes for the sake of the kids, and for the sake of the adults having the support they need to bring up the kids," said Family First spokesperson Bob McCoskrie.

But Waikato University demographer Natalie Jackson said trends towards older parenting and fewer children could help more couples stay together in the future anyway.