Fifty years ago, things were different, people would get married and have children in their twenties, buy a house and seemingly have their life figured out. But times have changed. Today, with an overcrowded planet and a focus on careers, many people in the West choose not to have children or they delay starting a family. More than 1 in 5 US adults don't want kids.
If your phone's photo collection is brimming with images of puppies and cats rather than snapshots of little humans, this post will likely strike a chord with you. The subreddit 'Child-Free Memes' and the Instagram page 'Child Free Memes' are all about the pleasures of a life untouched by diapers and tantrums.
So kick back, grab yourself a cup of coffee, and enjoy our new curated selection from these pages. As Samantha from 'Sex and the City' once said, this place is for double cappuccinos, not for double strollers.
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Thanos Was Right?
Together, these pages have gathered a community of over 5k members who share a common viewpoint: life's purpose doesn't solely revolve around having children. In the past, waiting to have children was mostly seen among wealthier Americans, especially in big cities on the coasts. Educated women often postponed having babies until their careers were stable, usually in their early thirties. But in the last ten years, as more women from all backgrounds focus on education and work, delaying starting a family has become a common trend among women throughout the United States.
I wonder what percentage is hoping for positive vs. negative results.
Since 2007, the number of women in their twenties having babies has gone down by 28 percent. Most of the decrease is among unmarried women. Only women in their thirties and forties have been having more babies, but even that has gone down in the last three years. Caitlin Myers, an economist at Middlebury College told 'The New York Times': "The story here is about young women, whose births are plummeting". She added that "the birthrate is falling fastest in places with the greatest job growth — where women have more incentive to wait."
Well that was the Old Testament from before Christianity and Jesus began with the New Testament. So you could say having a Son chilled God out and put him on a whole fresh way of doing things!
Or you could say that the people who made up the religion realized you have a hard time converting people to worship a vengeful and terrifying "god" so you just rewrite the whole book to accommodate your pledge drive.
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You forgot: Drowning the entire human population because they (all?) were sinfull, which must have includede thousands of newly born babies, who had not had many days on this planet to sin in, not to say even have the capabilities of grasping the concept of sinning. However, who can blame you, as this delicate subject usually is brushed over very lightly?
so on the baby part they got sent to heaven because they when under a certain age and therefore couldn't chose him yet or make him the one and only GOD....
Load More Replies... Christians pick and choose the parts of the Bible that are the word of god. Slavery, rape, and murder are all advocated for in the Bible. Don't forget the price list for the value of someone's daughter. And it doesn't really speak to abortion. But all religions were made up to control the weak minded and to propagate fear.
Didn't he also wipe out a ton of people with a flood while saving animals? I wonder if the collective that wrote that work of fiction had any idea what the impact would be thousands of years later. That people would weaponize it and use it as a shield for the awful way they act and the things they do.
Don't forget the flood! Pregnant moms were surely drowned along with all the other so-evil-they-deserved-to-die children!!
For the better part of 120 years, Noah warned the people about the coming flood. Yet they mocked Noah constantly. For four generations; think about it. God even gave them another seven days to repent. Had even one family done so, God would have given them instructions to build their own ark. Once the door of the ark was sealed, so was the fate of the mockers. They chose their own demise, thus condemning not only themselves, but their bloodline as well. Not unlike Sodom and Gomorrah.
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They all have certain beliefs. Not every religion is terrible and or forcing people into it. Many are not spreading false news.
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Can we all please stop referring to MAGA Evangelicals, fundamentalists and the like as "Christians"? Their beliefs have nothing to do with Christianity.
Christianity has been like that all along its history, unfortunately.
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I know this isnt the point, but hey, I'm a religious theology nerd and would like to point out that the "little children" who mocked Elijah and had the bear sicced on them were likely late teens early twenties. Doesn't really change the overall message, but i just wanted to point that out
God literally said that enemy babies should have their heads bashed in against a wall.
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Yes but that's when they've been born. Big difference. A child loses all its value after being born./s
Besides not being real, this god of the christians is a bloody monster. Not good at all.
That collection of books called the Bible wasn't even translated into English or available to the sheep until 400 years ago or so. The priests didn't even want it translated into other languages so THEY could conveniently be the only ones to explain what was in it. Probably thought once people knew what was in it they would reject it totally but they underestimated the stupidity of people.
Well it’s been available in English for awhile now. I’ve read it and follow it. If you’re looking science based reasons so you don’t feel like you have to check your brain at the door look at the site Reasons to Believe.
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And these r the same people that r unwilling tot air all these babies they want saved into THEIR homes, they don't donate their time and money to foster care. Just a bunch of hypocrites that want to spew their beliefs and then leave someone else to clean up the mess. The whole system needs to b fixed before we can "save all the babies"! I wouldn't want to have to give birth and then put a child in the foster care system! Who would?! It's not really a viable option
Taking thousands of years collection of stories and tales by multiple authors from different regions literally to the T. But when pointing out some other parts, they go mental - like Leviticus 11.
Agreed. All this was written by men saying "God said this, God said that ". So they could be in control.
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or theirs sisters (I don't know if the bible mentions that they are their only children)
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I must say having stumbled over the additional books that a lot of Bible editions do not have, the Book of Adam is a hoot. Basically what happened to them once they were "voted off the island". Adam kept chucking himself off cliffs etc and God would resurrect him and basically go "dude no you don't get out of it that easy. Stop it" and rinse and repeat. It also explains the additional kids that were produced. Wild stuff!
God so loves children that he kills over 13,000 under the age of 5 every day.
Their Logic: We need more followers. Every human is a potential follower, get them while they're gullible. Their God's Logic: Kill anyone who doesn't worship me.
The more I read about this garbage, the firmer I stand in my atheism...
FYI: Abortion is never mentioned in either the Old or the New Testaments. The Old Testament had plenty to say on women topics, like menstruation, child- birth, infertility, sexual desire, prostitution, infidelity, and rape, but nothing on abortion. In other words, these fundamentalists are talking out of their butts.
Apparently, in the Old Testament, there's a short paragraph of what women are supposed to do if they were forced to lay with an enemy. It's old medicine and going out into the desert for a couple of days.
stick your religion up your a**e, the time for belief systems is long past
Shoot! God ordered Job's partially grown children killed! Not babies! How is that ok?!
Yeah calm down. He didn't have children brutally murdered. He had young adults brutally murdered, so no biggie. After all, they made fun of someone's bald head, so the logical course of action would be to have them ripped apart by wild animals. /s
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God was an absentee father who didn't pay child support since his job as 'Supreme Deity' had no known salary.
And let's not forget if he created everything that must also include those parasitic worms that can burrow into a child's eye and make them blind. Think about that. Now I totally understand that a lot of people need something to believe in. What's become patently obvious in recent years is that you can't put your faith in humankind as there are a lot out there who can't even wear a mask to help try and protect their fellow man without whining about infringing their human rights. So yes I get that some unseen deity might be the way to go. But just worship the deity of your choice in quiet contemplation, don't force it on others and sure as hell don't use it to try and justify some misogynistic belief you might have about women not being able to make decisions about their own body.
*sigh* Yet another entry bashing on religion. Tell me you know nothing of their faith without saying you know nothing of their faith.
Big sigh. You guys always try that. “Oh, I wouldn’t expect a non-religious person to UNDERSTAND. Only we can UNDERSTAND. That’s why you don’t agree with us, because you don’t UNDERSTAND.” I do understand, as do for instance all the people who were religious and now aren’t; that’s a cheap attempt at ignoring the debate and still act superior. You gain nothing but contempt by trying that old cliché.
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Imagine how those children would have been raised and what kind of adults they would have turned out to be. Baby rattlesnakes always grow up to be big rattlesnakes. None of it is God's fault.
Ironically posted on 'X' which for most of the last two millennia has been a symbol for Jeebus.
That's the God of the Old Testament. Good news brother. But- aside from That- these children are not being cared for once they are born and thus - we must stop forcing women to have children they aren't ready to or simply do not want to have - if the decision is made early in my opinion
i know I'm gonna get heat for this but the difference here from my understanding is that it was God who chose to kill them, not the people who decided to kill them. Just sayin', 'cause there is a difference. I'm not trying to start a war for pro or against abortion though, sorry. Just felt like saying that idk why
i'm sick of reading such ranting about an ancient, archaic (sacred) text which is completely out of context.
Please enlighten us with the context that makes stories like this something to be celebrated. Someone brings up kids getting mauled by bears for teasing someone and y'all scream about context, as if we're missing something that makes this okay.
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Don't ever read the bible literally. Instead "Return to the root of the root of yourself." Rumi
The New Testament was written 70 to 100 years A.D., anonymously, with no eyewitnesses according to Wiki
The comments are so sad and rude. I couldn’t imagine the pushback If said these things about any other religion or group. A lot of these comments are based on misunderstandings by people that have never read scripture or ex Christians never had a relationship with Christ to begin with. God is love and I’m so sorry for those of you who have been hurt by Christians. Right now we have extremism in the US. Just remember not everyone that calls themselves Christians are. I hope those of you that are curious seek Jesus out and find out for yourselves why we all stick around. Jesus is an energy and once you invite Him in and you feel His love, there’s no turning back. Look at the site reasons to believe, it’s for science loving Christians! I hope everyone reading this has a wonderful weekend.
That’s out of context. The firstborn sons of Egypt died because that was the only way to convince Pharaoh to release the slaves(which were also dying at the hands of Pharaoh. God literally gave Pharaoh nine previous plagues in which no one was murdered to convince him to give up, but Pharaoh didn’t let up until his son died). Joshua was ordered to kill all of Jericho, not just the kids because they didn’t believe in God and engaged in sinful activities, and not doing anything about it in God’s eyes would be like acquitting a rapist in our eyes. And the original Hebrew word, naar, a word that means men of 28 years of age, was used to describe the people who were killed by the bears. They were attacking a prophet of God, and the prophet called on the Word of God to protect him. I am not pro-life nor pro-choice, but I don’t appreciate it when non religious people twist religious beliefs by omitting vital context. Kind people respect the beliefs of others.
Yeah, hate to break it to you but the context doesn't make it better. God sending bears to maul people for making fun of someone's baldness is f****d up no matter how old they were or who they were making fun of. Why is it every time someone points out all the violence in the bible that people always start screaming about context. This little snippet about the bears is mentioned so casually and in passing that makes you do a double take. Add all the context you want. The Christian god is an a*****e.
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Yes; but, God kills people and babies for good reasons. You women who want to kill that inconvenient baby that you started while having sex are wrong. I say sure go ahead and kill their children but make sure they can NEVER get pregnant again. There may be good reasons to end the life of an unborn PERSON, but I'm not sure what they might be - maybe incest.
What??? "God kills people AND BABIES for good reasons"??? What harm or 'sin' could a baby have committed to warrant being smited? Ludicrous argument
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If you read a religious book for the pure purpose of making fun of it, that's just rude
u don´t get it...1.old testament 2. he didn't murder them it was mankind ideat, free will!! bears?3. he did not command him to either!!!he dident want someone else to have power so he heard the prophecy and decided that...
Interesting interpretation. I grew up in the Bible belt, surrounded by Christians of all stripes, and every single one of them fancied themselves biblical literalists - frequently quoting whatever scripture that supported their current, bigoted belief.
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There's no need to do in-depth research to find contradictions and inconsistencies. The people using the bible to justify specific ideas are the ones who should explain why they feel we should obey some parts of it but disregard others.
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Shocker, But It Has To Be Said
Anytime They Ask
Those who advocate against having babies even have a name for themselves: anti-natalists. Not only do they encourage families without children but also the gradual fading away of people. While it started long ago in ancient Greece, social media has recently made this idea much more popular. Even though there aren't many anti-natalists, some of their ideas, especially about the planet, are starting to become more popular. According to the BBC, "Among them are concerns about genetic inheritance, not wanting children to suffer, the concept of consent, and worries about overpopulation and the environment."
More people need to respect our decision to not have kids. Also mine are in all colours
Italy vs. The Wiggles
Don’t we, you know, pity animals whose entire life is finding food and producing offspring? And don’t we spay them when we adopt them? And when we spay them, don’t we say, “this is wonderful, now she can relax and enjoy HER life, and play with toys and bask in the sun, and NOT have to spend her entire existence producing babies!” So why don’t we afford ourselves the same grace of opinion?
Although anti-natalist groups may use pessimistic language, they don't appear to pose a violent risk. When discussing extinction, it's more of a discussion than an actual danger. Most people online don't talk about hurting anyone.
Democracy
However, there's a catch. In less developed countries, large families with numerous children are often the norm. From cultural values to social fairness, there are various reasons why poor families might have many children, and these factors also lead to high birth rates in less wealthy countries. From cultural values to social fairness, let's look at some main reasons.
They Are Irritating
Atleast 3 Money
In places where children are regarded as blessings according to religious beliefs, having a bigger family is seen as a greater blessing. In many parts of the Global South, couples without children may experience social stigma. Impoverished families, particularly those relying on farming, may have more children to assist with their way of life, including taking care of older family members and younger siblings as they grow up.
Hehe
So Good
Aren’t animals God’s children as well? Why are human children > animals in God’s eyes?
Turn Abouts Fair Play
When my family didn't really want a cat (we lived in a rented home, so it would be hard transporting it) a flea-ridden, but cute street cat entered our home. We sterilized him, de-flea'd him and he just stayed in our home.
In the end, people's perspectives on having children and the size of their families can be quite complicated. It's affected by things like culture, money, and society, all which play a role in shaping how people decide about having children.
My mom: "I wanted your sister to have a sibling." Gee, thanks, Mom. Didn't even actually want another kid because you wanted more children, but because you didn't want your biological daughter to be an only child. (I'm adopted.)
I've held babies in my life, and they simultaneously feel WAY too heavy but also incredibly fragile and breakable. I will take holding a cat any day over holding a baby. They squirm less, smell less, and you can pet them without getting arrested.
Good One
Yeah, no it’s not. For some people like myself, my animals ARE my children.
In all fairness, carrying 4 large boxes of pizza with just one arm takes another level of skill.
Oh God
Witty Title Here =)
That’s Just Volume 1
Food for thought: you're usually not expected to have a reason for having kids, but you usually are expected to have a reason for not having kids.
Accurate
This is me, but the other panels would also be me reacting the same joyously excited way to dogs, lizards, chickens, insects etc. XD
Note: this post originally had 88 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.
I've never wanted kids. Like EVER. Nope not changing my mind either. Please respect my decision.
Who's questioning it? I'm 44 and happily child free but I don't feel like everyone must conform to my lifestyle or other life choices are stupid. To each their own.
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When advocating marriage, people used to say "Two can live as cheaply as one." When advocating parenthood, no one has ever said "Three can live as cheaply as two."
My mom: I’m sure you’ll change your mind about not having kids some day! Also my mom: The years up until you and your brother were 8 were the worst years of my life. I get ptsd when I see a mom with a young toddler and a newborn. Yeah mom, that definitely makes me want to have kids.
Please don't toss around the term PTSD. It is a real mental issue and should not be dismissed lightly.
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Mine finally stopped bringing it up. I guess they finally have accepted that I won't create a kid just to make them grandparents. I love my childfree life, no plans to give it up. I'm fine being the "cool uncle."
I dated a really nice guy who was the oldest of nine kids. I was surprised (and thrilled) when he said he didn't want kids. He said he aspires to be the best uncle ever.
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I think language teachers are secretly telling us to not have children. By telling us how to get to various places in a different language. Because with no kids, we can have holidays! And go to the swimming pool, the cinema, the restaurant, the shops. Everywhere!
My mom asks me every day, "Hwo are your girls?" and she means my cats. :-)
If the boomers wanted grandchildren, they shouldn't have screwed up the economy. Just saying ...
People should not have children unless they absolutely WANT to. There's nothing wrong with having children, just don't expect everyone else to have kids just because they can.
I always found it funny, when I first got married the amount of people who said "so onto kids next, hey?", like it was just some obvious next step and not a MAJOR life decision with real pros and cons to weigh up. And for full disclosure we do now have two kids and they are absolutely the best decision we've ever made, but it was a definite, considered decision and something we genuinely wanted, not just something we did because "hey, guess you better start knocking me up cause that's what married people do". People are so casual about the expectation that everyone just exists to pop out a baby.
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Get a Salpingectomy. More effective, no risk of ectopic pregnancy, and has the surprising side benefit of reducing the risk of ovarian cancer as well.
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I have a child. I love her to pieces and I find being Dad is the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. Significant part of that is the ‘I’, it’s what I want. There’s plenty of other rewarding things out there, plenty of enjoyable things, or hey, you might just like being you, no ties, more money, quieter Sunday mornings, whatever floats your boat. I’m here to judge how MY life is going, your life ain’t nothing to do with me. Have fun however you do it!
63F and childfree. In fact none of my sibs had kids either. We were rotten kids. Caused no end of trouble for our parents. Why on earth would any of us want to subject ourselves to what we put our parents through?
It's tough when all your friends have had kids and any get together just ends up being mommy-talk. I end up without much to say in conversation. This doesn't make me want a kid in any way, shape, or form - it's just a bummer that i can't contribute unless I say, "God, you spent HOW MUCH to go to Legoland? Good Lord!" Or "But peppers are delicious! Who would hide them under a car mat?"
Luckily my mum's never been bothered about babies. I'm in my 50s and have never been interested in kids. I can probably count on one hand the number of times anyone has found it odd that I didn't want any. Most people aren't bothered and my close friends are totally not expecting me to gush over their kids or judge me for not doing so.
I have 5 dogs. I feed them, I clean them, I buy them snacks, I hold and coddle them. I take them to the doctor, I buy them toys. I boost their confidence and play with them. They are my children and I am quite happy.
I'm a single child. About the time i started dating, my folks took a look around (at humans, politics, the environment etc) and said, "Don't give us any grandkids."
I wasn't quite sure if I will ever want to have children, but after reading this, I've decided I that I definitely will not.
I'm 37, have been married for 17 years, and never had (nor wanted) kids. When i was younger, people used to do this unwelcome "oh, you have plenty of time" b******t. What's super annoying now is that - at this age - people now ask if I have kids and when i answer with a simple "no", then they ask my age (because a lot of us childless people never look it) and go on to do this "oh" and "polite silence" thing... as if maybe I wasn't physically able to have kids and they are thinking they shouldn't have asked. So now I just say, "yup" and pull out a picture of my two American Pit Bull Terriers 😁
Why are human children so insufferable? Name another animal that makes wretched noises at all times, refuses to eat healthy food, and takes 25% of the parent's lifespan to raise.
The only thing I don't understand is why no kids life is presented as being rich, because that's not always the case. Also not valid that you won't have money if you have kids.
I think it is far to say that children are expensive. If people are rich with kids, it's not going to be because they have children. They will make you poorer regardless of what you have.
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I never made a conscious choice not to have children... it just never happened. At 48 I have had at least 10 years of people asking me why & reminding me that my time is running out or assuming that I don't have children because I am gay or career-driven. Everytime a celebrity in her 40's/50's has a baby I hear "see, you still have hope!". Or "you don't need a man, just sperm donor". Honestly, with the world in the state it is I am grateful I don't have any children.
I was just thinking about this today. I'm 68, have two grown children. I don't ever remember "wanting" children, it was just something that I assumed I would do and frankly was kind of expected. I love my son and daughter, but I'm glad that people now are more free to think about and say no if that is their wish.
I do have kids and I'm happy as one can be. They're cool and lots less noisy these days. I don't parent on Facebook nor feel the urge to convince childless friends to change their minds. That said I even totally agree with some of these points and genuinely enjoyed these memes. :) Still I wouldn't trade my kids for a zillion dollars and watching them becoming their best self is the best thing ever happened to me. Not for everyone, but it can actually work out pretty well.
I never had kids by choice, but I love them. They are cute and funny and someone else's.
My two biggest problems are people who call childfree people selfish for not wanting children. Hello! You are selfish for demanding people have unwanted children to satisfy you and childfree people who call parents "breeders" etc. Get over yourselves. Saying you don't want kids is enough and you should not have to explain beyond that. Ditto for wanting kids. Just make sure you have the means/space/mindset to raise them.
I completely agree with anyone having a free choice regarding having children but this post comes across as a little bit snarky as if parents are all stupid for procreating, even judging them on the reasons why they had them without evidence. I can say with absolute sincerity that never has a day gone by without me being grateful for my children. My heart bursts with love when i think about them and the happiness they have brought into my life is indescribable, i would not change a single thing if i had to live my life over.
It's aimed at those who will find memes about not having children funny. So I highly suspect that parents are not exactly the target market. It's pretty obvious going in that it's going to take the p!ss. If people don't like something, they really don't have to read it after all. That's another free choice that can be made.
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honestly,i dont really want to have kids when i grow up. Reasons: they always ugly as hell .Too much of a financial investment for my irresponsible a*s who still goes with the mentality of "its five dollars,its nt that much". and the biggest reason,i dont want to have to put those lil guys into the middle of the slagheap,they deserve better,so maybe when we get our s**t figured out and actually clean this god damn planet ill change my mind
The Earth is already overpopulated. Your religion is forcing the apocalypse.
I would like to see someone who doesn't want kids say it in a way that is not so negative, like it's an awful thing to want kids. I respect both decisions.
No idea how ppl got the impression that this post is saying that it's awful to have children, it's simply celebrating those who've decided not to have children. We've been doing it the other way around forever (we still are!). And pointing out that a woman saying they don't want kids is often met with negativity is simply a fact.
Load More Replies... To all the child free people out there: kids DO grow up. And if you have a good relationship with them you'll always have them to visit you shen you're older. So many of my parents' friends who are chils free regret not having had kids because now that theu have "been there done that" over the years, they are now lonely with no one, longingly admiring my parents and others who have kids (and grandkids) to spend Christmas etc with. This doesn't mean I don't get people who don't want kids. I understand the other side of the coin, too. Kids CAN be annoying. But you love them. Have kids or don't, just respect each other
I don't know anyone who is childfree and regretting it and I have worked in the care sector with elderly people for years. The ones that were most lonely were the ones who had children so hoped to see them and were not. Reason most cited: their own family (aka children). Many had moved further away for work or left the country. There were so many reasons but most of the ones with children had much smaller social circles. It is weird, to me, to assume that children = future support and visitors when I've mostly seen the bare minimum, and not because they didn't love their parent.
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Right listen, I'm not disrespecting anyone who doesn't want kids. That's ok! However, the chance of ever being alive is like one in a million. So appreciate that you were once a child. Don't hate on other people for having children. Some of these posts nearly made me cry because they were mean to people my age (maybe a bit younger). Remember Einstein was a child once, Le Bron James was a child once, you were a child once.
This reads like: it's okay if you don't want kids but you really should have them anyway. Einstein and LeBron were once children? So were Ted Bundy & Dennis Rader. Appreciate that I was once a child, yup. Suicidal on and off from the age of 5, not sure why that would convince me to have a kid. What, exactly, about this post made you cry? That there are people who see the benefit of not having children? People realizing they don't want/shouldn't have children isn't being mean to you.
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I mean, I don't want kids but I feel like some of the comments and posts are a little bit extreme... Like, babies are cute in small amounts, I just don't want one full time.
For those playing BP bingo at home, here’s this week’s anti- child thread. ✅
I've never wanted kids. Like EVER. Nope not changing my mind either. Please respect my decision.
Who's questioning it? I'm 44 and happily child free but I don't feel like everyone must conform to my lifestyle or other life choices are stupid. To each their own.
Load More Replies... When advocating marriage, people used to say "Two can live as cheaply as one." When advocating parenthood, no one has ever said "Three can live as cheaply as two."
My mom: I’m sure you’ll change your mind about not having kids some day! Also my mom: The years up until you and your brother were 8 were the worst years of my life. I get ptsd when I see a mom with a young toddler and a newborn. Yeah mom, that definitely makes me want to have kids.
Please don't toss around the term PTSD. It is a real mental issue and should not be dismissed lightly.
Load More Replies... Mine finally stopped bringing it up. I guess they finally have accepted that I won't create a kid just to make them grandparents. I love my childfree life, no plans to give it up. I'm fine being the "cool uncle."
I dated a really nice guy who was the oldest of nine kids. I was surprised (and thrilled) when he said he didn't want kids. He said he aspires to be the best uncle ever.
Load More Replies... I think language teachers are secretly telling us to not have children. By telling us how to get to various places in a different language. Because with no kids, we can have holidays! And go to the swimming pool, the cinema, the restaurant, the shops. Everywhere!
My mom asks me every day, "Hwo are your girls?" and she means my cats. :-)
If the boomers wanted grandchildren, they shouldn't have screwed up the economy. Just saying ...
People should not have children unless they absolutely WANT to. There's nothing wrong with having children, just don't expect everyone else to have kids just because they can.
I always found it funny, when I first got married the amount of people who said "so onto kids next, hey?", like it was just some obvious next step and not a MAJOR life decision with real pros and cons to weigh up. And for full disclosure we do now have two kids and they are absolutely the best decision we've ever made, but it was a definite, considered decision and something we genuinely wanted, not just something we did because "hey, guess you better start knocking me up cause that's what married people do". People are so casual about the expectation that everyone just exists to pop out a baby.
Load More Replies... Get a Salpingectomy. More effective, no risk of ectopic pregnancy, and has the surprising side benefit of reducing the risk of ovarian cancer as well.
Load More Replies... I have a child. I love her to pieces and I find being Dad is the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. Significant part of that is the ‘I’, it’s what I want. There’s plenty of other rewarding things out there, plenty of enjoyable things, or hey, you might just like being you, no ties, more money, quieter Sunday mornings, whatever floats your boat. I’m here to judge how MY life is going, your life ain’t nothing to do with me. Have fun however you do it!
63F and childfree. In fact none of my sibs had kids either. We were rotten kids. Caused no end of trouble for our parents. Why on earth would any of us want to subject ourselves to what we put our parents through?
It's tough when all your friends have had kids and any get together just ends up being mommy-talk. I end up without much to say in conversation. This doesn't make me want a kid in any way, shape, or form - it's just a bummer that i can't contribute unless I say, "God, you spent HOW MUCH to go to Legoland? Good Lord!" Or "But peppers are delicious! Who would hide them under a car mat?"
Luckily my mum's never been bothered about babies. I'm in my 50s and have never been interested in kids. I can probably count on one hand the number of times anyone has found it odd that I didn't want any. Most people aren't bothered and my close friends are totally not expecting me to gush over their kids or judge me for not doing so.
I have 5 dogs. I feed them, I clean them, I buy them snacks, I hold and coddle them. I take them to the doctor, I buy them toys. I boost their confidence and play with them. They are my children and I am quite happy.
I'm a single child. About the time i started dating, my folks took a look around (at humans, politics, the environment etc) and said, "Don't give us any grandkids."
I wasn't quite sure if I will ever want to have children, but after reading this, I've decided I that I definitely will not.
I'm 37, have been married for 17 years, and never had (nor wanted) kids. When i was younger, people used to do this unwelcome "oh, you have plenty of time" b******t. What's super annoying now is that - at this age - people now ask if I have kids and when i answer with a simple "no", then they ask my age (because a lot of us childless people never look it) and go on to do this "oh" and "polite silence" thing... as if maybe I wasn't physically able to have kids and they are thinking they shouldn't have asked. So now I just say, "yup" and pull out a picture of my two American Pit Bull Terriers 😁
Why are human children so insufferable? Name another animal that makes wretched noises at all times, refuses to eat healthy food, and takes 25% of the parent's lifespan to raise.
The only thing I don't understand is why no kids life is presented as being rich, because that's not always the case. Also not valid that you won't have money if you have kids.
I think it is far to say that children are expensive. If people are rich with kids, it's not going to be because they have children. They will make you poorer regardless of what you have.
Load More Replies... I never made a conscious choice not to have children... it just never happened. At 48 I have had at least 10 years of people asking me why & reminding me that my time is running out or assuming that I don't have children because I am gay or career-driven. Everytime a celebrity in her 40's/50's has a baby I hear "see, you still have hope!". Or "you don't need a man, just sperm donor". Honestly, with the world in the state it is I am grateful I don't have any children.
I was just thinking about this today. I'm 68, have two grown children. I don't ever remember "wanting" children, it was just something that I assumed I would do and frankly was kind of expected. I love my son and daughter, but I'm glad that people now are more free to think about and say no if that is their wish.
I do have kids and I'm happy as one can be. They're cool and lots less noisy these days. I don't parent on Facebook nor feel the urge to convince childless friends to change their minds. That said I even totally agree with some of these points and genuinely enjoyed these memes. :) Still I wouldn't trade my kids for a zillion dollars and watching them becoming their best self is the best thing ever happened to me. Not for everyone, but it can actually work out pretty well.
I never had kids by choice, but I love them. They are cute and funny and someone else's.
My two biggest problems are people who call childfree people selfish for not wanting children. Hello! You are selfish for demanding people have unwanted children to satisfy you and childfree people who call parents "breeders" etc. Get over yourselves. Saying you don't want kids is enough and you should not have to explain beyond that. Ditto for wanting kids. Just make sure you have the means/space/mindset to raise them.
I completely agree with anyone having a free choice regarding having children but this post comes across as a little bit snarky as if parents are all stupid for procreating, even judging them on the reasons why they had them without evidence. I can say with absolute sincerity that never has a day gone by without me being grateful for my children. My heart bursts with love when i think about them and the happiness they have brought into my life is indescribable, i would not change a single thing if i had to live my life over.
It's aimed at those who will find memes about not having children funny. So I highly suspect that parents are not exactly the target market. It's pretty obvious going in that it's going to take the p!ss. If people don't like something, they really don't have to read it after all. That's another free choice that can be made.
Load More Replies... honestly,i dont really want to have kids when i grow up. Reasons: they always ugly as hell .Too much of a financial investment for my irresponsible a*s who still goes with the mentality of "its five dollars,its nt that much". and the biggest reason,i dont want to have to put those lil guys into the middle of the slagheap,they deserve better,so maybe when we get our s**t figured out and actually clean this god damn planet ill change my mind
The Earth is already overpopulated. Your religion is forcing the apocalypse.
I would like to see someone who doesn't want kids say it in a way that is not so negative, like it's an awful thing to want kids. I respect both decisions.
No idea how ppl got the impression that this post is saying that it's awful to have children, it's simply celebrating those who've decided not to have children. We've been doing it the other way around forever (we still are!). And pointing out that a woman saying they don't want kids is often met with negativity is simply a fact.
Load More Replies... To all the child free people out there: kids DO grow up. And if you have a good relationship with them you'll always have them to visit you shen you're older. So many of my parents' friends who are chils free regret not having had kids because now that theu have "been there done that" over the years, they are now lonely with no one, longingly admiring my parents and others who have kids (and grandkids) to spend Christmas etc with. This doesn't mean I don't get people who don't want kids. I understand the other side of the coin, too. Kids CAN be annoying. But you love them. Have kids or don't, just respect each other
I don't know anyone who is childfree and regretting it and I have worked in the care sector with elderly people for years. The ones that were most lonely were the ones who had children so hoped to see them and were not. Reason most cited: their own family (aka children). Many had moved further away for work or left the country. There were so many reasons but most of the ones with children had much smaller social circles. It is weird, to me, to assume that children = future support and visitors when I've mostly seen the bare minimum, and not because they didn't love their parent.
Load More Replies... Right listen, I'm not disrespecting anyone who doesn't want kids. That's ok! However, the chance of ever being alive is like one in a million. So appreciate that you were once a child. Don't hate on other people for having children. Some of these posts nearly made me cry because they were mean to people my age (maybe a bit younger). Remember Einstein was a child once, Le Bron James was a child once, you were a child once.
This reads like: it's okay if you don't want kids but you really should have them anyway. Einstein and LeBron were once children? So were Ted Bundy & Dennis Rader. Appreciate that I was once a child, yup. Suicidal on and off from the age of 5, not sure why that would convince me to have a kid. What, exactly, about this post made you cry? That there are people who see the benefit of not having children? People realizing they don't want/shouldn't have children isn't being mean to you.
Load More Replies... I mean, I don't want kids but I feel like some of the comments and posts are a little bit extreme... Like, babies are cute in small amounts, I just don't want one full time.
For those playing BP bingo at home, here’s this week’s anti- child thread. ✅
