Why should I have children???

thx1138

I am 58, never had kids, never wanted them, never will. My wife is 43 and feels the same. We have a great life that is free of screaming brats, hostile teens and indifferent children.

Pardon my apparent non sequitur but:
What's the quickest way for a politician to lose his seat? Answer, come out in favor of zero population growth. That's why no matter how 'green' they may be that one is seldom on the table.

justme111

We all enjoy what we have. People who happened to have kids enjoy them , people who don't enjoy their abscence.

Person_one

justme111 wrote: »

We all enjoy what we have. People who happened to have kids enjoy them , people who don't enjoy their abscence.

Sounds nice, not entirely correct though. Not everybody who has children loves having children and plenty who don't have them want them more than anything.

victory

justme111 wrote: »

We all enjoy what we have. People who happened to have kids enjoy them , people who don't enjoy their abscence.

Try telling that to a couple absolutely desperate to have children, who are trying IVF or such like for years at a time in the hope that one time it will work.

meer53

victory wrote: »

Try telling that to a couple absolutely desperate to have children, who are trying IVF or such like for years at a time in the hope that one time it will work.

The post is about people who choose not to have children.

Newlyboughthouse

Well - if I wasn't sure about my decision not to have kids before, after yesterday, I certainly am now!

A party welcoming my newborn nephew into the world. About 20 screaming little darlings running around, causing a huge mess, preventing me from having interesting conversations with anyone due to the fact everyone was either cooing over the babies or talking about nappies, feeding and their next planned sprogs.

Never felt more desperate to get away from a party

meer53

Newlyboughthouse wrote: »

Well - if I wasn't sure about my decision not to have kids before, after yesterday, I certainly am now!

A party welcoming my newborn nephew into the world. About 20 screaming little darlings running around, causing a huge mess, preventing me from having interesting conversations with anyone due to the fact everyone was either cooing over the babies or talking about nappies, feeding and their next planned sprogs.

Never felt more desperate to get away from a party

I love babies and children but even i would have been glad to get home from that one !

Not having the conversations wouldn't have bothered me but the mess would. If you have kids you don't have to have mess. Although at parties you have to forget about it whilst it's happening. I just used to rope anyone in who was willing when it was over.

The worst party for me was my ex's 40th. We had a marquee in the garden and about 100 guests. It was far too easy to go to bed and not think about it until the next day. Adults can make just as much mess as kids :eek:

sulphate

I personally think that people should only have children if they really want them. That sounds obvious, but as the daughter of a man who never wanted children, I think people overlook what the people in question actually want, and just expect them to do the whole marriage/kids thing.

If you don't want children or are ambivalent, don't be encouraged into doing something you don't want or aren't ready for. Because like someone else said, once you have one you can't change your mind!

catkins

sulphate wrote: »

I personally think that people should only have children if they really want them. That sounds obvious, but as the daughter of a man who never wanted children, I think people overlook what the people in question actually want, and just expect them to do the whole marriage/kids thing.

If you don't want children or are ambivalent, don't be encouraged into doing something you don't want or aren't ready for. Because like someone else said, once you have one you can't change your mind!

Totally agree. As I said in a previous post, I would far rather regret not having children than having them. I have met far too many people who say they regret having them and you only have to look at the figures for child abuse by a parent to realise lots of people have children who should not have.


My OH had a pretty horrible childhood thanks to his parents (mainly his mum) because they never wanted a boy. Rather than risk another boy they decided to adopt a girl and she has always been treated like the "golden child". Even now when OH is in his 50's she treats him like dirt.

FBaby

justme111 wrote: »

We all enjoy what we have. People who happened to have kids enjoy them , people who don't enjoy their abscence.

Totally agree with this. When my kids were babies, I thought babies were cute, when they were toddlers, I thought toddlers were interesting, when they were pre-teens, I thought pre-teens were easy. Now they are teenagers, I think teenagers are great as they become independent, but Gosh do I hate babies and toddlers as much as those who chose not to have children, and like them, I am convinced they are attracted to me. Wherever I go they seem to follow me, with all the noise and racket that comes with them! Give it 10 years and I'm sure I'll hate teenagers too!