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Child-Free Couple Cuts Off Their Parents After Their Unhinged Ultimatum
Elderly couple sitting on sofa looking at a photo album, reflecting on family and potential disinheritance concerns.

Child-Free Couple Cuts Off Their Parents After Their Unhinged Ultimatum

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Some people dream of being parents, while others have sworn off ever having kids. Both are personal choices, and both are fine. Or at least, that’s how it should be. But as we have come to learn, there will always be certain folk who feel they’re entitled to others’ reproductive choices.

Like the parents of an engaged couple who refuse to accept that their adult kids want to remain child-free. Both the husband and the wife’s parents are demanding they have children, going as far as threatening to cut their inheritances should they not agree. The drama is unfolding just weeks before the couple’s wedding, and it’s cast a dark cloud over the plans.

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    This couple has been together for over a decade and has decided against having kids

    Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

    But their parents are having none of it… They’ve threatened to cut their inheritances if they don’t produce grandchildren

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    Image credits: Alena Darmel / Pexels (not the actual photo)

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    Image credits: Curated Lifestyle / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

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    Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

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    He later revealed that they had decided to do some cutting off of their own

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    Image credits: cottonbro studio / Pexels (not the actual photo)

    An increasing number of people are choosing to be child-free, but research shows that many still face stigma

    First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage… That’s pretty much how the world operated back, back in the day. But to say things have changed is an understatement. Relationships and families come in all shapes and sizes, and many people are throwing outdated expectations to the wind as they remain child-free by choice.

    There are lots of reasons why someone might decide they don’t ever want kids… Money, career, travel, health, age, etc. But a Pew Research Center study conducted in 2023 revealed that for many, it’s simply a case of “I just didn’t want children.”

    A separate study, carried out by Jennifer Watling Neal, a professor in the social/personality psychology program at Michigan State University, found that 1 in 5 adults are child-free.

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    That means that they didn’t have kids and they also expressed that they didn’t want to have children in the future. And that was quite a large number,” Neal explained during a podcast. “We weren’t necessarily expecting to find such a large number of child-free folks in Michigan.”

    The expert says that while the research is only focused on adults in Michigan, that state’s population is similar to the general U.S. population in terms of age, race, education, income and politics. “So we believe that our findings might apply more broadly,” Neal adds. “And if that pattern that we’re finding holds up nationally, it would mean about 50 to 60 million Americans are child-free.”

    While not starting a family is becoming increasingly popular, Neal found that there’s still some stigma attached to that decision in some quarters. “We in the U.S. live in a society where the norm is very much still having children and having children is very valued. So people who do not have children and who also don’t want to have children are really sort of going against that norm,” she explained.

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    According to Neal, women (unsurprisingly) bear the brunt of the stigma. The expert says that common stereotypes that are mentioned often for child-free people, especially women, are that they’re “selfish, self-centered, that they might be focused on their career, that they have no responsibilities, that they have lots of money, that they hate children, and that they might regret their decision later.”

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    Neal and her team found that men, people without a college degree, and people who have or want children often hold more negative views of child-free people, so they’re more likely to endorse some of these stereotypes.

    According to the expert, the child-free trend is not unique to the United States.

    “We’re seeing similar trends in other countries where we’re seeing potential increases in a decent sized population,” says Neal. “The prevalence rates vary quite a bit, but we’re seeing upticks.”

    “Go get a vasectomy”: People flocked to the comments, with many shocked at the parents’ entitlement

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    In a shocking update, the guy revealed that “someone” had tried to cancel his wedding

    Image credits: Vitor Monthay / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

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    Image credits: Vitaly Gariev / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

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    Image credits: Aakash Malik / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

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    Many people urged the man to make use of password protection… on everything

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    Robyn Smith

    Robyn Smith

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    Robyn is an award-winning journalist who has produced work for several international media outlets. Made in Africa and exported to the world, she is obsessed with travel and the allure of new places. A lover of words and visuals, Robyn is part of the Bored Panda writing team. This Panda has two bamboo tattoos: A map of Africa & the words "Be Like The Bamboo... Bend Never Break."

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    Robyn Smith

    Robyn Smith

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    Robyn is an award-winning journalist who has produced work for several international media outlets. Made in Africa and exported to the world, she is obsessed with travel and the allure of new places. A lover of words and visuals, Robyn is part of the Bored Panda writing team. This Panda has two bamboo tattoos: A map of Africa & the words "Be Like The Bamboo... Bend Never Break."

    Indrė Lukošiūtė

    Indrė Lukošiūtė

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    I am a Visual editor at Bored Panda, I'm determined to find the most interesting and the best quality images for each post that I do. On my free time I like to unwind by doing some yoga, watching all kinds of movies/tv shows, playing video and board games or just simply hanging out with my cat

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    Indrė Lukošiūtė

    Indrė Lukošiūtė

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    I am a Visual editor at Bored Panda, I'm determined to find the most interesting and the best quality images for each post that I do. On my free time I like to unwind by doing some yoga, watching all kinds of movies/tv shows, playing video and board games or just simply hanging out with my cat

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    Jonas Žvilius

    Jonas Žvilius

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    In my spare time, I enjoy creating art - both in traditional and digital form, mainly in the form of painting and animation. Other interests include gaming and music. Favorite bands include Swans, The Strokes, The Beatles.

    What do you think ?
    Eri J
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I was fairly young when I told Mom I wasn't having kids. She's fine with it. When it's come up with others they always said the same thing "You'll change your mind". Well, I'm almost 41. Don't have kids and still don't want them. :3

    Tyke
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I wanted kids but only if I was in a stable relationship, and I kept meeting men I wasn't willing to have kids with. My parents never said a word. I eventually met the man I knew was right for me, we eventually discussed kids and I got pregnant at 39. My parents response was absolute elation - because they simply assumed I never wanted them and they believe that's my business and mine only. As with your Mum, some parents are capable of treating their grown kids as adults with their own minds.

    Load More Replies...
    C Hendrix
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What is with parents and their whole "YOU OWE US!!" attitude? If you had kids expecting them to give you something back, you shouldn't have had kids in the first place.

    elfin
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's not so much "YOU OWE US" as it is "WE OWN YOU."

    Load More Replies...
    Nikki Sevven
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Your children's lives belong to them, not to you, and you don't get to dictate how they live their lives.

    Load More Comments
    Eri J
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I was fairly young when I told Mom I wasn't having kids. She's fine with it. When it's come up with others they always said the same thing "You'll change your mind". Well, I'm almost 41. Don't have kids and still don't want them. :3

    Tyke
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I wanted kids but only if I was in a stable relationship, and I kept meeting men I wasn't willing to have kids with. My parents never said a word. I eventually met the man I knew was right for me, we eventually discussed kids and I got pregnant at 39. My parents response was absolute elation - because they simply assumed I never wanted them and they believe that's my business and mine only. As with your Mum, some parents are capable of treating their grown kids as adults with their own minds.

    Load More Replies...
    C Hendrix
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What is with parents and their whole "YOU OWE US!!" attitude? If you had kids expecting them to give you something back, you shouldn't have had kids in the first place.

    elfin
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's not so much "YOU OWE US" as it is "WE OWN YOU."

    Load More Replies...
    Nikki Sevven
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Your children's lives belong to them, not to you, and you don't get to dictate how they live their lives.

    Load More Comments
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