I don't get this either. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: parents themselves are the worst advertisements for parenthood.
At work I am bombarded with hard luck stories about how haaaard it is. I'm not talking about the occasional bitchfest, which we all need. I mean people who weren't thrilled with the idea to begin with, yet they *must* have a child, and they keep having them even though they appear to be miserable.
I also don't get the whining, considering raising a child has never been easier, at least in terms of sheer labor and perks. I'm not talking about the pressure to keep up with the Joneses or to be the Perfect Mommy who gives a chyyyyld the Perfect Childhood, because these idiocies are self-inflicted.
The tax breaks, the perks, the parental leave, the labor-saving devices have never been more prevalent. My mom stayed home, and she and Dad shared a car between them. They had no Diaper Genie, no dishwasher, no Hot Pockets, no disposable diapers. Yet my mom still had a life. She had friends; she and my dad had cocktail parties where children were not allowed, and I lived through it with my self-esteem intact. She was still an interesting person despite having kids.
Back to topic, if you call one of these whiners on it, i.e. ask them why they did it if they are miserable, the claws come out! You will get bingoed into oblivion. "Oh, but you haaaaaave to do it. It's what life is about. We wouldn't live any other way." Good for you, but leave me out of your drama.