Choosing an Alternate Route – Exploring 16 Reasons for Life Without Kids
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Whether or not to have children is a highly individual decision, shaped by various factors. A thought-provoking question recently posed was, “What influenced your decision not to have kids?” This query aims to explore the perspectives and reasons of those who have chosen not to have children, offering valuable insights into the complexities surrounding this personal choice. The shared responses provide a glimpse into the diverse experiences and considerations involved.
Personal Freedom
To begin, someone simply said, “Raised my siblings. I’m done.”
Another person added, “Just thinking about it for 15 seconds and realizing that I’d lose virtually all my freedom and have significantly less time, money, and energy. Yeah, no thanks.”
Financial Considerations
One user said, “If I can’t afford a house, what makes you think I can afford a child? The economy is a dumpster fire.”
A second user replied, “The cost of raising a child throughout their lifetime is estimated to be around $300,000. That’s enough to purchase a condo/small home. It is getting more and more difficult to save for retirement with the rising cost of everything. We are in an economic recession. I do not want to hurt my chances of having a good future by creating something that will set me back financially.”
Career Goals
A popular comment was, “I’m a special ed teacher, and the only way I can handle this is because I can shut off and decompress every night without kids. I couldn’t handle a lifetime obligation to some of the more severe kids I work with.”
Lack of Interest in Parenting
A person replied, “I absolutely hate kids. The noises they make, be it happy or sad is, like ear sandpaper, just instantly makes me angry. I know 100% I’m not cut out to be a parent.”
A second person added, “They’re loud, gross, and expensive. On top of the fact that pregnancy wrecks your body and is overall pretty gross to me.”
Desire for Independence
A most-liked comment was, “I like having my free time and don’t want to ruin it.”
A second comment was, “My resources (time, money, food, etc.) are all mine, and I genuinely don’t want to share them with a little human for the rest of my life.”
Impact on the Relationship
One user said, “I want a long-term partner to travel with, share hobbies with, cook and bake for/with. Kids just never fit into that dream.”
Mental and Emotional Well-Being
A user replied, “My wife is bipolar, and I have recurring depression. We figured adding kids to the mix wouldn’t be fair to anyone.”
A second user said, “I have had depression my entire life, and I’d never want to risk giving anyone else this pain.”
Environmental Concerns
One realistic comment was, “I was raised in a religion that told me the only purpose in life was to raise a family. Then I was abused by a church leader and decided I don’t want any potential kids that would have to deal with me and all of my baggage despite therapy and medications improving my life the past year or so.”
Overpopulation and Global Issues
A user simply wrote, “Overpopulation.”
A second user added, “The environment. The single best thing you can do to fight climate change is not to have kids. Obviously, going vegan/zero waste is wonderful too. Obviously, a select few companies are responsible for pollution/climate change. I am doing my part by not creating another person who needs resources/has another carbon footprint.”
Lack of Parental Instincts
One popular comment was, “Just never felt that maternal urge. And it’s cruel/wrong to have them unless you actually want them.”
Another comment said, “It’s a responsibility I take very seriously, and I’m not willing to take.”
Fear of Passing On Genetic Conditions
A person said, “Too risky. Nothing is guaranteed that you’ll have a healthy baby. The child could be severely disabled, and you’ll have to be their caretaker for life. They could have mental health issues. I’m not prepared to handle that.”
Another said, “Don’t want to get tied down. Plus, I have a bad family history of heart issues, diabetes, and various mental illnesses, some of which I am already dealing with, and I’m only 23.“
Fear of Responsibilities of Parenthood
One user said, “To be honest, I’m too lazy to be a parent.”
Another user added, “They are a lifelong commitment. No, they would not be my problem for 18 years. Children can rely on parents for emotional/financial support for much longer.”
Disinterest in Traditional Family Structure
A comment was, “My parents. They weren’t good examples to learn from.”
A second comment said, “Being an only daughter and essentially having to raise my younger brother because my mom had undiagnosed depression (postpartum was a bad for her, and it never really went away) and dad thought raising kids was a “woman’s job.””
Lifestyle Preferences
A funny comment was, “I don’t like people. By having kids, you multiply the number of people you have to know, hear about and interact with exponentially… other parents, teachers, in-laws, and other kids. Forget that!”
Unfavorable Experiences with Children
One comment said, “The thought of pregnancy and going into labor is terrifying to me. Also, during lockdown, I could hear my neighbor’s kids screaming all day, and it made me realize I didn’t want that in my life.”
Concerns About the World’s Future
One user said, “The economy and financial instability.”
Finally, another user said, “This world is a horrible place. The “working class,” and the “working poor” (which is where I’m at) are nothing more than slaves to the corrupt capitalism of society. Not a day goes by where I muse about the idea humans are the only animals who have to pay just to exist.”
Source: Reddit
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