Anyone Child Free By Choice?

ariarnia

SandC wrote: »

Er, not unless the women having babies do voluntary work as well!

what about having a couple of weeks off to bond with a new kitten or puppy.

Maybe the government can even give me an amount per week (call it £5?) for food and vets bills? :rotfl:

Hermia

red_devil wrote: »

just a question does anyone miss having young children at xmas time ie santa etc and the magic? Or do you feel glad you dont have to spend lots of money on presents and feel the pressure etc to give?

Does anyone ever feel they are missing out then?

Nope. As I can only cope with kids in small doses I don't feel I am missing out at all. I have had friends ring me with their nerves in tatters because their kids are sulking about their presents or have got over-excited and ended up having a tantrum.

I suppose I don't associate Christmas with Santa and children in my head so it would never occur to me that I am missing out.

I love having an "adult" christmas. One year my mum and I had Christmas dinner and then we went on a long walk through London. It was utterly amazing. A childless friend rents a cottage on a Scottish Island and spends Christmas day walking and watching the wildlife and then reads in front of the open fire (or does other things in front of the open fire if she has a boyfriend at the time!).

BubblyMumbles

red_devil wrote: »

just a question does anyone miss having young children at xmas time ie santa etc and the magic? Or do you feel glad you dont have to spend lots of money on presents and feel the pressure etc to give?

Does anyone ever feel they are missing out then?

Good question!

Absolutely not though!

I can't imagine anything more horrific than spending Christmas (which I love by the way!) with a load of screaming, over tired, over excited kids, there's nothing magical about that for me!

I never feel I'm missing out by not having kids at any time of the year. If anything, I feel the opposite. I'm glad I don't have all that to deal with, that would not make me a happy bunny!

SandC

NO, Xmas is for adults too!

Actually, I have only one nephew and no children so lucky old him gets quite a bit spent on him by me - and lucky old me gets a little present from him too because he is very grateful.

Run up to Xmas is probably more exciting than the day itself anyway - I remember when I was a kid the whole of December was pretty magical.

ninky_2

not being religious and having an OH who comes from a country that doesn't do xmas i have a different attitude to it these days. i had the best time this year just going away on holiday. didn't do cards or gifts. i far preferred spending time and money doing something i really wanted to do and enjoying some great weather than being sucked into consumerism.

i feel like i've had enough traditional christmasses to last a lifetime.

goanmad

red_devil wrote: »

just a question does anyone miss having young children at xmas time ie santa etc and the magic? Or do you feel glad you dont have to spend lots of money on presents and feel the pressure etc to give?

Does anyone ever feel they are missing out then?

I've spent the last ten Xmases lying on a deserted beach. I can't imagine anything worse than screaming kids and pressure to waste money on boxes of plastic tat.

Treacly

Person_one wrote: »

If you are much happier being child free then that's a massive benefit to you isn't it?

Amen to this - I don't begrudge parents their benefits or their mat and pat leave or their queuing for biscuits handed out by the state like good little breeding units. They're welcome to it - I have the constant joy and satisfaction of being FREE!!

BubblyMumbles

Treacly wrote: »

Amen to this - I don't begrudge parents their benefits or their mat and pat leave or their queuing for biscuits handed out by the state like good little breeding units. They're welcome to it - I have the constant joy and satisfaction of being FREE!!

I don't begrudge them it either, but you'll never convince me that we don't get a raw deal from the state by being CFBC.

But I do agree about being free! :j

zippychick

i can't help feel this thread has taken a strange turn. It's one thing being child free by choice, it's another to demean, bad mouth and generally disrespect children, and those who choose to have them. Perhaps that's just my interpretation though.

Frugalista

zippychick wrote: »

i can't help feel this thread has taken a strange turn. It's one thing being child free by choice, it's another to demean, bad mouth and generally disrespect children, and those who choose to have them. Perhaps that's just my interpretation though.

I don't think it is strange at all. I think people are just relieved to find like minded folk who just don't like kids and not afraid to say why. This thread is unique in that respect - so if that is the way people feel why shouldn't they say so? It's not like we're all posting on the TTC board and saying "Get over it" is it?

It appears that most people posting on here are very happy with their choices but generally frustrated and annoyed by those who choose to breed forcing their opinions of what is right onto them.

I have dogs - a lot of people don't like dogs and will be quite forthcoming with their views "Dirty, smelly, disease carrying creatures", etc, etc. Nobody finds it wrong for people with those views to demean, bad-mouth and generally disrespect me for my life choices, so why is it wrong for me to express my distaste and identical views about their children?

Or is this yet another thing that the CFBC have to suck up - not being allowed an honest opinion because we are "non-people" who chose not to procreate?