Anyone Child Free By Choice?

tabskitten

coldstreamalways wrote: »

OOOOOOOMMMMMMMMGGGGG, I'm so glad i have found this thread. Hi everyone!!!! I am and will continue to be CFBC. I'm getting married soon (66 days but who's counting....!!) and everyone EVERYONE says oh, how long until you have children once you're married etc etc.

I love being able to do what I want when I want and not have to get a sitter/get up in the middle of the night/drive kids to school/ballet/swimming/music etc etc.

I feel like by not having children we are subsidising everyone else who is breeding, they shouldn't "pity" us with their smugness (ok, generalisation) they should thank us for paying our taxes and not:
Using school places
Getting Children's tax credits
Extra Medical Care
the list is probably a lot longer

QUOTE]

I could have written that!!
word for word- except we are getting wed on 30th june!!

andrealm

I've read this thread with interest. I've always wanted children and have two but I respect the decision of others to choose to be child free.

But you could argue that the taxes you pay are helping to paying back the money spent on your own education (assuming you went to a state school) and any healthcare you had and the child benefit your own parents were entitled to claim when you were a child.

Either way we all pay into a system which helps those who need it, whether as children, in old age or because of illness and disability. If you (as a childless person) live until 105 and need a lot of medical care should, you then be thanking other people's children, or grandchildren for paying their taxes?

It's been an interesting thread and we are very lucky to live in an age and a part of the world where contraception is freely available so that we can (unless there are fertility problems) choose whether or not to have children and how many to have. In the past and in other parts of the world, people relied on children to support them in their old age.

ariarnia

Aside from the fact that by the time I retire (I'm 24 now) I'll have to work until I'm 90 or die on the job, and there won't be a pension scheme or NHS.

[/cynic]

coldstreamalways

andrealm wrote: »

I've read this thread with interest. I've always wanted children and have two but I respect the decision of others to choose to be child free.

But you could argue that the taxes you pay are helping to paying back the money spent on your own education (assuming you went to a state school) and any healthcare you had and the child benefit your own parents were entitled to claim when you were a child.

Either way we all pay into a system which helps those who need it, whether as children, in old age or because of illness and disability. If you (as a childless person) live until 105 and need a lot of medical care should, you then be thanking other people's children, or grandchildren for paying their taxes?

It's been an interesting thread and we are very lucky to live in an age and a part of the world where contraception is freely available so that we can (unless there are fertility problems) choose whether or not to have children and how many to have. In the past and in other parts of the world, people relied on children to support them in their old age.

I agree with lots of that, especially the contraception part. But how are those who do have lots of children repaying the taxes that were spent on their education?

It's a choice, I'm glad my best friend has lots of children because they make her complete. As other posters have said, there is nothing wrong with either choice, just when some people (from either camp) try to impose their views.

BubblyMumbles

andrealm wrote: »

I've read this thread with interest. I've always wanted children and have two but I respect the decision of others to choose to be child free.

But you could argue that the taxes you pay are helping to paying back the money spent on your own education (assuming you went to a state school) and any healthcare you had and the child benefit your own parents were entitled to claim when you were a child.

Either way we all pay into a system which helps those who need it, whether as children, in old age or because of illness and disability. If you (as a childless person) live until 105 and need a lot of medical care should, you then be thanking other people's children, or grandchildren for paying their taxes?

It's been an interesting thread and we are very lucky to live in an age and a part of the world where contraception is freely available so that we can (unless there are fertility problems) choose whether or not to have children and how many to have. In the past and in other parts of the world, people relied on children to support them in their old age.

Or you could argue that my parents who worked and paid their taxes paid for my education.

And no, I won't be thanking other people's kids or grandkids for my healthcare (if there is any), I work, I pay taxes, I've more than covered anything I need myself, while also paying for other people's choices.

Glitzkiss

andrealm wrote: »

I've read this thread with interest. I've always wanted children and have two but I respect the decision of others to choose to be child free.

But you could argue that the taxes you pay are helping to paying back the money spent on your own education (assuming you went to a state school) and any healthcare you had and the child benefit your own parents were entitled to claim when you were a child.

Either way we all pay into a system which helps those who need it, whether as children, in old age or because of illness and disability. If you (as a childless person) live until 105 and need a lot of medical care should, you then be thanking other people's children, or grandchildren for paying their taxes?

It's been an interesting thread and we are very lucky to live in an age and a part of the world where contraception is freely available so that we can (unless there are fertility problems) choose whether or not to have children and how many to have. In the past and in other parts of the world, people relied on children to support them in their old age.

As you say yourself we all pay into a system that helps those who need it whether we live to 65 or 105. It doesn't matter if we have children or not - we've paid and are entitled to care if we need it. Although the cynic in me doesn't believe there will be a welfare system to provide for me in my old age which is why I'm making damn sure I'll be able do it myself. Btw, this will probably mean I'll be employing your grandchildren to look after me.

No, no it's ok. Thanks aren't needed

Dammit, I didn't mean to post in this thread again :cool:


ETA: I've just realised my post sounds a little harsh but one of my bug bears is the way the government pyramid scheme works. The taxes I will pay throughout my life, including when I've retired and I'm taxed again on my pension, will more than adequately cover what I get from the system. I do not begrudge this as I believe in a society which looks after its constituents. However my hackles do go up when someone tells me their children are paying for me. I'm paying for myself and will do so several times over within and outwith my working lifetime.

andrealm

BubblyMumbles wrote: »

Or you could argue that my parents who worked and paid their taxes paid for my education.

And no, I won't be thanking other people's kids or grandkids for my healthcare (if there is any), I work, I pay taxes, I've more than covered anything I need myself, while also paying for other people's choices.

Well then, all parents who have paid taxes are paying towards their children's education. Of course there will be some parents who have never worked even though they are fit and healthy, so they have not contributed to the pot, but would you deny them the right to healthcare and education?

BubblyMumbles

andrealm wrote: »

Well then, all parents who have paid taxes are paying towards their children's education. Of course there will be some parents who have never worked even though they are fit and healthy, so they have not contributed to the pot, but would you deny them the right to healthcare and education?

I don't deny anybody anything and I really hate the fact that this is something that's brought up when CFBC people point out the unfairness of the welfare state.

As I've said previously, all I want is a bit of equity. Why should I pay to support other people's choices when I effectively get nothing back apart from healthcare and my basic schooling, which my parents paid for?

Why don't I get an equivalent of child benefit, for example, for not having contributed to the increasing burden placed on the welfare state by a growing population?

A family with 2 kids gets £33.20 a week because they've got kids, £1,726.40 a year because they've got kids, and I get, what? The privelege of paying for that while getting nothing back?

Why don't I get the same amount for not having kids? Why don't they just give me a lump sum every year so that I can have £1,726.40 a year to make my choices?

There's nothing fair about our welfare state if you're CFBC and I, and lots of other CFBC people, do object to it. It has nothing to do with denying anyone anything, it's about equity, that's all.

andrealm

Glitzkiss wrote: »

As you say yourself we all pay into a system that helps those who need it whether we live to 65 or 105. It doesn't matter if we have children or not - we've paid and are entitled to care if we need it. Although the cynic in me doesn't believe there will be a welfare system to provide for me in my old age which is why I'm making damn sure I'll be able do it myself. Btw, this will probably mean I'll be employing your grandchildren to look after me.

No, no it's ok. Thanks aren't needed

Dammit, I didn't mean to post in this thread again :cool:


ETA: I've just realised my post sounds a little harsh but one of my bug bears is the way the government pyramid scheme works. The taxes I will pay throughout my life, including when I've retired and I'm taxed again on my pension, will more than adequately cover what I get from the system. I do not begrudge this as I believe in a society which looks after its constituents. However my hackles do go up when someone tells me their children are paying for me. I'm paying for myself and will do so several times over within and outwith my working lifetime.

Exactly, most people are essentially paying for themselves, you rely on the system as a child and in old age and during your working life you pay tax and NI. No one needs to thank anyone else unless they live on benefits throughout their lives when they are perfectly capable of working. I assume nobody begrudges those who are genuinely unable to work due to serious illness or disability?

BubblyMumbles

andrealm wrote: »

Exactly, most people are essentially paying for themselves, you rely on the system as a child and in old age and during your working life you pay tax and NI. No one needs to thank anyone else unless they live on benefits throughout their lives when they are perfectly capable of working. I assume nobody begrudges those who are genuinely unable to work due to serious illness or disability?

See, there it is again, I don't think anybody begrudges anybody anything, or thinks they should be denied anything.