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Dolly Parton Reveals Compelling Reasons For Choosing A Child-Free Life, And Her Perspective Makes Sense
Dolly Parton recently opened up about her choice to not have children, admitting her successful career, working nine-to-five, would’ve been significantly slowed down if she had decided to start a family with her husband, Carl Dean.
The 77-year-old singer-songwriter told Saga Magazine: “I haven’t missed it like I thought I might. When you’re a young couple, you think you’re going to have kids, but it just wasn’t one of those burning things for me. I had my career and my music and I was traveling.”
Dolly and Carl met at a laundromat in Nashville, Tennessee in 1964 before tying the knot two years later.
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Dolly Parton opened up about why she and her husband Carl Dean didn’t have children
Image credits: dollyparton.com
Image credits: Eagledj
“If I’d had kids, I’d have stayed at home with them, I’m sure, and worried myself to death about them,” the country music star said.
She continued: “With everything that’s going on, I’d hate to be bringing a child into this world right now!
Dolly and Carl met at a laundromat in Nashville, Tennessee in 1964 before tying the knot two years later
Image credits: dollyparton.com
Image credits: dollyparton.com
“I always say God didn’t let me have children so that all kids could be mine.”
Dolly isn’t the only famous person to choose a child-free life. Earlier this year, Patricia Clarkson also opened up about her decision to be childfree.
“When you’re a young couple, you think you’re going to have kids, but it just wasn’t one of those burning things for me,” Dolly said
Image credits: dollyparton
“I had a window to have a child, but [at] the end of the day, I loved working and I grew up with great parents who sacrificed everything for me,” she explained.
Speaking on Zoe Ball’s BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show last month, Dolly explained how her marriage to her 81-year-old husband has lasted: “We’ve been together 59 [years], we dated two years, and then we just celebrated our 57th anniversary on May the 30th.
Image credits: dollyparton
“But I think so much of it is the fact that we are honest and open and we have a warped sense of humor!
“He is crazy, he is so funny and clever. And I have a great sense of humor from both sides of my family so I think the humor has always been good.”
“I always say God didn’t let me have children so that all kids could be mine,” Dolly said
Image credits: Alan Light
Dolly admitted that a mutual “love and respect” for one another has always been the bedrock of their romance. She said: “There’s the respect and the love and I just like him!
“You know, I would have liked him if he wasn’t my husband, if he was somebody else’s husband, I’d say, “You know that Carl Dean, ain’t he funny? Ain’t he a good guy?”, so I think it’s just that mutual respect and we just like each other.”
Image credits: dollyparton.com
The songstress went on to reveal that she valued Carl’s opinion and that he never gave her an honest answer “in a cruel way”.
She said: “If I ask him if he likes my hair – ‘too stringy for me’ or ‘it looks too important’ – you know like if it’s too stiff… he always calls it that, ‘It looks too important’, but I know if I ask him – he won’t just volunteer it – but if I ask him, he’ll tell me the truth.”
“The world was her children,” some fans agreed
Image credits: www.facebook.com
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Safy 2 years ago
Me & my husband don't have children. I always saw my life with them but my body had other plans. I was upset about it for a long time, but during the pandemic I had many realizations -- I love my life. I do not feel that it is lacking, or that there is a void. The only thing that I will never know is in the future if I will regret it, but that isn't a good enough reason. We have 4 incredible nephews and we adore and spoil them. There are so many valid ways to live your life, it doesn't always have to be a marriage, house and kids. But if it is, that's grand too! :)
brittany 2 years ago
i have 3 kids and i have huge respect and admiration for anyone who decides to live a child free life. having kids is not for everyone, nor should it be just like being a doctor is not for everyone, nor should it be. it is unending hard work that should never feel like an obligation or a "next step". it should be carefully thought out, evaluated and thought out again. and she's right, all kids are dolly's kids and i truly believe she has unending love for all of them.
Lady Miss Pie 2 years ago (edited)
Dolly has a mother’s heart, and she is generous to all. She’s everyone’s Nana and I think that is beautiful.
Papa 2 years ago
I have all the respect in the world for Dolly Parton, and I respect the wishes of anyone who chooses not to have children, but as far as her saying “With everything that’s going on, I’d hate to be bringing a child into this world right now," people have been saying that forever. There always has been, and always will be, turmoil in the world.
brittany 2 years ago
its something a lot of people dot think about when having kids, even if those kids are planned. the world was messed up 6 years ago when my oldest was born and its still messed up now. i didnt consider what her life would be like outside of having a happy healthy home with her loved ones and i should have. i should have thought more about the sort of people in the world and what bringing a child into that would mean and what it would feel like when she has to face that world and its ugly parts. ive seen so much ugliness and evil in the world and it hurts my heart that i didnt truly consider what it would be like for her precious self to have to see that ugliness too.
Load More Replies... Safy 2 years ago
Me & my husband don't have children. I always saw my life with them but my body had other plans. I was upset about it for a long time, but during the pandemic I had many realizations -- I love my life. I do not feel that it is lacking, or that there is a void. The only thing that I will never know is in the future if I will regret it, but that isn't a good enough reason. We have 4 incredible nephews and we adore and spoil them. There are so many valid ways to live your life, it doesn't always have to be a marriage, house and kids. But if it is, that's grand too! :)
brittany 2 years ago
i have 3 kids and i have huge respect and admiration for anyone who decides to live a child free life. having kids is not for everyone, nor should it be just like being a doctor is not for everyone, nor should it be. it is unending hard work that should never feel like an obligation or a "next step". it should be carefully thought out, evaluated and thought out again. and she's right, all kids are dolly's kids and i truly believe she has unending love for all of them.
Lady Miss Pie 2 years ago (edited)
Dolly has a mother’s heart, and she is generous to all. She’s everyone’s Nana and I think that is beautiful.
Papa 2 years ago
I have all the respect in the world for Dolly Parton, and I respect the wishes of anyone who chooses not to have children, but as far as her saying “With everything that’s going on, I’d hate to be bringing a child into this world right now," people have been saying that forever. There always has been, and always will be, turmoil in the world.
brittany 2 years ago
its something a lot of people dot think about when having kids, even if those kids are planned. the world was messed up 6 years ago when my oldest was born and its still messed up now. i didnt consider what her life would be like outside of having a happy healthy home with her loved ones and i should have. i should have thought more about the sort of people in the world and what bringing a child into that would mean and what it would feel like when she has to face that world and its ugly parts. ive seen so much ugliness and evil in the world and it hurts my heart that i didnt truly consider what it would be like for her precious self to have to see that ugliness too.
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