Any child free peeps on MFP?

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  • PurringMyrrh
    PurringMyrrh Posts: 5,276 Member
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    Child free! Huzzah!
  • HerkMeOff
    HerkMeOff Posts: 1,002 Member
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    It just happens that there are a lot of first time dads at my company who [incorrectly] assume everyone cares about/is dying to see pictures of their offspring.

    Yes! Oh yes! So adorable. Yes it's so cute. What a doll! Frozen smile. Forced upbeat demeanor. Deer-in-the-headlights eyes focused dutifully and politely on the picture. Inward clench. Glancing off sideways for a moment to try and quickly devise an exit strategy. Don't stop smiling. He's still watching you watch the picture. Will he be going away soon? YES. He's moving on. Thank heavens. He's sticking the picture in someone else's face. Long grateful exhalation. Hasty rounding of the corner to somewhere else.

    Sound familiar?

    LOL yes. I actually don't mind a few "funny stories" once the kid's older with a real personality. So I may be different in that - it seems like most CFBC people I meet either LOVE being around others' kids such as their own nieces/nephews & dote on them 24/7, or pretty much have ZERO interest in any kid on the planet. I guess I'm somewhere on the continuum closer to the latter but I don't mind a story or two.

    However...photos of a newborn...there's really nothing for me to say. "What is his/her name?" and then the requisite "congratulations" and then I'm just done. If I REALLY like the parent, they get my patented "awwww!" and maybe a comment about the baby having good coloring which seems to please new parents.

    Go away. Come back and talk to me when the kid is three and said or did something that is genuinely weird or funny.

    I sure hope that you don't ever tell anyone about anything going on in your life...ever.
  • Skinny_Mocha
    Skinny_Mocha Posts: 208 Member
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    Yup - but obviously I'll change my mind (ask anyone they've told me often enough since I was 19 years old).:huh:

    Exactly! I hear this so much it makes me want to punch people in the face when they say it to me. I don't tell people who do want kids that they'll change their mind one day.

    THIS! I am sick to death of hearing that I'll change, like it's a silly teenage phase. I'm 35. No.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    Yup - but obviously I'll change my mind (ask anyone they've told me often enough since I was 19 years old).:huh:

    Exactly! I hear this so much it makes me want to punch people in the face when they say it to me. I don't tell people who do want kids that they'll change their mind one day.

    THIS! I am sick to death of hearing that I'll change, like it's a silly teenage phase. I'm 35. No.

    :o) I changed my mind at 40. But yeah, I get you - it's a bit insulting.
  • sho3girl
    sho3girl Posts: 10,799 Member
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    ((raises hand))
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    Yup - but obviously I'll change my mind (ask anyone they've told me often enough since I was 19 years old).:huh:

    Exactly! I hear this so much it makes me want to punch people in the face when they say it to me. I don't tell people who do want kids that they'll change their mind one day.

    THIS! I am sick to death of hearing that I'll change, like it's a silly teenage phase. I'm 35. No.

    :o) I changed my mind at 40. But yeah, I get you - it's a bit insulting.

    The one that gets me is "It will be different when they're your own"... ummm... what if it isn't? What if I took this silly advice, had them anyway and still didn't like them?
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    Yup - but obviously I'll change my mind (ask anyone they've told me often enough since I was 19 years old).:huh:

    Exactly! I hear this so much it makes me want to punch people in the face when they say it to me. I don't tell people who do want kids that they'll change their mind one day.

    THIS! I am sick to death of hearing that I'll change, like it's a silly teenage phase. I'm 35. No.

    :o) I changed my mind at 40. But yeah, I get you - it's a bit insulting.

    The one that gets me is "It will be different when they're your own"... ummm... what if it isn't? What if I took this silly advice, had them anyway and still didn't like them?

    You can return them. Just remember to keep the receipt.
  • the_great_beyond_
    the_great_beyond_ Posts: 157 Member
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    I dont have any kids

    that I know of

    *waits for invite to Maury*
  • Masq
    Masq Posts: 191 Member
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    Yep, I'm 43 and child free by CHOICE! My hubby and I have been together since our senior year of high school and married for 21 years.
    We were pretty lucky... our parents have never pressured us to have 'Grandkids'.
  • emily889
    emily889 Posts: 296 Member
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    I was in a marriage that ended quickly, and I thought I wanted kids then...But honestly being on my own I realized it was just pressure from him and my parents, I have been doing some soul searching and I think I don't want kids. It was kind of a big thing to realize considering what a bummer it will be for my parents, but hey I gotta do what makes me happy :) Plus no time crunch to hurry up and find someone to reproduce with while I am still young. It is pretty great!
  • mikemckinlay
    mikemckinlay Posts: 22 Member
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    YES! - child free by choice, and strongly stand by my decision and at 45 I have never looked back and regretted it for one moment. I have absolutely no desire to have children and I often see families struggling with babies and children, looking bedraggled and just think to myself "why would you?"

    I have no time for other peoples children and find it very difficult to show any interest in them, however I do absolutely adore my godchildren and would kill for them! I think I am just missing the parental gene.

    I also think it is very important to mention that there is a huge difference between "Child free" and Child less" (no explanation needed here I think).
  • HerbertNenenger
    HerbertNenenger Posts: 453 Member
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    I think that child free people seem hostile and angry (based solely on this post).

    This post is stressing me out far worse than my child does when he is acting up.

    Not here to argue, just stating how I interpreted the replies in here by those who don't seem to appreciate comments by people with children. To people who have children, being "child free" can simply mean a trip to the grocery store alone. I see that the OP was edited to clarify so many responses probably came in before she did that.

    Nah, it's MFP-wide. The same defensiveness will be found in the "clean eaters" posts, the "IF'ers" posts, and the vegan/vegetarians posts. It's a very war-like attitude, all around. Oh, and grammatical errors? Don't even go there.
  • oregonzoo
    oregonzoo Posts: 4,251 Member
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    *some* of the attitudes on children in this thread flat out terrify me.

    That said, I would defend any person who decided to live life child free. I wanted my children badly and sometimes it's still hard. Sometimes I still wonder if I'm doing it right.
    So I cannot imagine how awful a parent somebody who didn't want children would be.
  • KiiiAttitude
    KiiiAttitude Posts: 54
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    Im 29 and child free, not that ive tried... I have plenty of time no rush and only if its right :)
  • the_great_beyond_
    the_great_beyond_ Posts: 157 Member
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    I think that child free people seem hostile and angry (based solely on this post).

    This post is stressing me out far worse than my child does when he is acting up.

    Not here to argue, just stating how I interpreted the replies in here by those who don't seem to appreciate comments by people with children. To people who have children, being "child free" can simply mean a trip to the grocery store alone. I see that the OP was edited to clarify so many responses probably came in before she did that.

    Nah, it's MFP-wide. The same defensiveness will be found in the "clean eaters" posts, the "IF'ers" posts, and the vegan/vegetarians posts. It's a very war-like attitude, all around. Oh, and grammatical errors? Don't even go there.

    Claims childless people are hostile

    makes hostile post about it...
  • Skinny_Mocha
    Skinny_Mocha Posts: 208 Member
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    Yup - but obviously I'll change my mind (ask anyone they've told me often enough since I was 19 years old).:huh:

    Exactly! I hear this so much it makes me want to punch people in the face when they say it to me. I don't tell people who do want kids that they'll change their mind one day.

    THIS! I am sick to death of hearing that I'll change, like it's a silly teenage phase. I'm 35. No.

    :o) I changed my mind at 40. But yeah, I get you - it's a bit insulting.

    Yes, thank you. It's always said to me in the spirit that there's something defective about me, that will eventually right itself.

    That's why so many child free folks here are being defensive. Friends, family, and even strangers are constantly telling us the thing we want for ourselves is wrong.
  • Onederchic
    Onederchic Posts: 128 Member
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    I'll be 43 in 8 days. I am child-free by choice and I have not once regretted it. I have 7 sisters (though 1 passed away last year) and 1 brother and they have all kids and their kids have kids. Plenty of kids in the family without my participation :)
  • Lovdiamnd
    Lovdiamnd Posts: 624 Member
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    I am 29 and child free but not by choice :/
  • esaucier17
    esaucier17 Posts: 694 Member
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    I am not child free. I have one and he is PLENTY for me! He's 7.
    No more... by choice...lol
  • Ripfit138
    Ripfit138 Posts: 1,148 Member
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    No offspring here, but one dog that keeps me running!

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