30 Child-Free Couples Share How Their Life Without Children Turned Out

It’s a curse in my family that women live well into their 90s but spend the last 10-15 years bedridden. It’s been going on for generations and the burden of taking care of them always falls on the eldest daughter. I watched my grandma ruin her health looking after my great-grandma who was nothing but vegetable at that point. Now my grandma moved in with my mom because she could no longer walk. I am eldest daughter and it terrifies me this is fully expected of me in 20 years or so. I chose not to have kids, even if I did this is something I would never ask of them. Men in my family just drop dead when the time comes, that’s my plan even if I have to help it.

Also, you never know of your kid(s) will take care. If they are in the same city, country. And "expecting" it... nope.

This needs to be higher. My husband is constantly at his parents to help them to the point that we don't have life, but we are living their lives. They can easily afford help.

That who's gonna take care of you question has always really bothered me. That's always the top/best answer they have, and it's not a good or logically sound one for a multiple of reasons. I'm 33 without kids, which is how I've always wanted it and I don't regret it at all. It's only other people unhappy with my choice that remind me about it. If you don't want me questioning why you have them don't worry about why I don't.

I agree. I find it disgustingly selfish of people having kids expecting them to put their lives on hold to take care of them. If you have the option of a care home and you need the care then take the care home. If I had children I wouldn't want them to have to take care of me for years on end. I'd want them to live their own lives as an adult. In addition, care homes have teams of trained carers working all hours. I'd rather be in a place where I had people capable of keeping me alive at all times rather than 1 person working all hours who would probably grow to resent me.

Same. If I had kids, I wouldn't own my house and god only knows what kind of hell I'd be in right now. Every day I'm thankful I don't have kids.

Me too

We don't have a car either, due to great public transport links and wonderful parents who live nearby. I always said if my parents were looking for grandkids, they could look somewhere else. Luckily they don't care as they have a dog. We have a cat.

God yes! The weekend morning coffee and wake & bake, or maybe a boozy brunch. So great not having kids

Do not let anyone tell you that! I said the same but I was weak and caved in to family pressure. Got married, had kids (which ruined my body and health), got divorced, and spent most of my life in financial distress because I got married and had kids. Not ashamed to admit that I absolutely regret not listening to my inner voice and telling my toxic family to mind their own business.

This was me 25 years ago. I love children I just never wanted my own. And yes people always looked at me weird when I was younger because of it 🙄 " ...but you're soo good with children..." Yes I'm good with children which is why I treat children with cancer and I know this would be harder on my mental health if I had my own children. I know from my coworkers with children, that they struggle more because they sometimes see their children in our patients.

At 16 years old, I knew. I knew that was not for me. At 33 years old, I had a sterilization surgery and I had friends asking me what if I changed my mind and I asked them if their partner ever asked them if they were to ever change their mind about God, whether they believed or not, and the answer was always no. I strongly believe I made the right choice and it was something I knew that my future partner would either be grateful or keep looking for. I have made my own rules for this life of mine. Nobody else lives your life but you. You build it however you want. And don't ever let ANYONE tell you different.

I decided at the age of 12 that I would never have children. I'm now in my 60s and have no regrets

you know at a young age whether or not you'd want kids. for me it was 15 that i knew i wanted kids. im 32 now, and have 2 and do not regret it at all. some people are just wired to have kids and some arent. if you don't want kids, then dont have them. its unfair to you, and the child you didn't want. just live your life and be happy.

Dogs and cats and horses oh my!

Don't blame you, that's an awesome life.

They come back to you once the children are older. Been there, done that.

Those child bearing years see lots of friends drop off but now that I am 50 many of them are empty nesters so they are around again. During the years they weren't my husband and I learned to make friends older or younger than us. We also began to spend more time with our LGBTQ friends as they were more likely to be child free like us. Just broaden your horizons...

Absolutely the same here. I have often joked that we didn't have kids because I already had one (him). He is great with entertaining and playing with kids, but cannot manage boundaries with them (like asking for something and being told "no" should happen once, not be repeated over and over until you give in. Plus I had never been around a lot of young kids, so I have a lot of anxiety when caring for them. So definitely, our relationship would not have survived.

I dragged my mattress out in front of the tv in my living room on New Year’s Eve, then hung up a bunch of leftover Christmas lights all around the room, then used some sheets to make a “tent” around my mattress like a princess. It’s been so comfortable that I haven’t bothered moving my mattress back yet, but I dragged my couch cushions and a bunch of cardboard boxes into my bedroom to make a sweet elaborate fort for my cats on my mattress frame. I even have a tiny TV that I set up for them on a “CatTV” YouTube loop in one of the “rooms.” Both the cats and I have been happy with this arrangement for weeks. I love being an adult with my own apartment and no children lol.

This. I feel so, so sorry for all the children in my life. Modern civilization is doomed, the world these kids are inheriting is f*cked. I'm glad I realistically only have another 30 years max left in me, I can't imagine bringing new lives into this world that only have suffering to look forward too. There is no way climate change is going to go well for our species.

So, you are a numbers guy? Ok: 57 and 61, 33 years maried. I would not change a thing :-)

53 this year, she is 50 this year. Been together 26 years. We regret NOTHING.

Funny, how the most selfish people accuse others of being selfish. So it was always about HER wish for grandchildren. It was never about you.

She just needed a new victim to dump on

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I think some people would say it’s a “moooo” point. I mean, what does a cow’s opinion matter?

Yes, yes, YES!!! My friend is living his dream with a wife, 3 kids, and a really high paid job, BUT he seems sooooo stressed out about maintaining it and also seems to always be chasing after satisfaction even though he "has it all". Meanwhile, I'm the happiest I've ever been with my wife and our combined income of only a 3rd or 4th of his!

"But that would have been a different kind of happiness, and we are content with our own version." This.

"Likely going to be a different response from folks who are without child but wanted a child." Luckily for us, other people don't control our uterus, although the govt sure does try. Just because we have one doesn't mean we have to risk our lives to fulfill someone else's idea of happiness.

there is a big difference b/w child-free and child-less. I was told at age 27 no kids. I was mourning being child-less for a long time. no $ for adoption, I am single, I can't foster, etc. and then I learned to embrace it. for the last few years I have loved being child-free.

I like the end line- feeling sorry for ppl who wanted but couldn't. I know a few like that and honestly I wish I could grant them their wishes.

Basically, that's the only response.

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I've never been forced to adapt my personality, habits, blue language, attitude, or social life because of kids. Something socially awkward me has very little control over if children just happen to be there. BTW, I've never had a movie on in the background being watched for the 25th time.

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I'm reading from many of these posts, people are reporting they are untethered, and free to do whatever they want... Most people have a job or a career that takes up a good portion of their day to day life. There are many other obligations requiring attention and energy that wouldn't involve children at all ex.; house, yard, vehicles, personal hygiene and health etc.. That leaves maybe a few hours a day to be "Free".. Everyone has obligations.