By the time I was 13-14, I felt pity for women stuck in houses raising kids...women who didn't have their own paychecks and who couldn't just pick up and go somewhere on vacation if they had the whim to do so....or families who never had enough and were always struggling.

I still feel pity for women who think their "greatest accomplishment" is that a man shot some sperm into them and they pooped out a crotchmoppet.

An accomplishment would be being CEO or winning a Nobel prize....or becoming president of a first world nation.
Ask people what Hillary Clinton's greatest accomplishment and I bet, hands down, no one says "Chelsea". Duh. That should be proof enough that children are NOT an accomplishment.

Children are NOT a "miracle". That is bullshit propaganda spread by a patriarchal society to keep women in the house and under the control of men. Otherwise, there are 350,000 miracles a day.....LOL. Definitely NOT miracles....just a basic act of biology that even a stray cat has mastered. The prisons are full of those "little miracles" as are drug rehab centers...and homeless shelters.

Furthermore, on an overpopulated and dying planet....getting knocked up is a selfish, selfish, selfish choice. If we can't take care of the ones that are here --- from children to senior citizens --- how dare you breed more people?

Want to really do a "miracle"? Get involved in solving the problems facing the world...and REALLY make a difference.

There is a reason that the world is still pretty much run by men....and it's because women keep buying into the bullshit that they have to be factories in order to be "complete" women.

As a woman in my 20's and 30's, I was relentlessly pressured by people to have children. At work, at the gym, from family and friends. It was nonstop. But I was adamantly against having kids.

"You're so intelligent, we need your genes in the gene pool!" As if that's a good reason to have a child.

For five years, my husband and I couldn't agree about having kids. First one of us wanted kids; then we switched positions. We took parenting classes together.

"We have 12 years of YMCA program director experience between us," we said, skipping stones on the Icicle River. "Wouldn't this be fun to share with a child?"

During the 10 minutes we agreed, we conceived. Claire was born when I was 36 and Terry was 40.

I'm not childless, I'm child-free. -less implies you're missing something you want. I've never wanted children.

My child-free ways are not as bad as they used to be, I used to say 'I'm sorry to hear that,' at pregnancy announcements. ?

Kudos to them! I think its selfish to bring a child into this fucked up world.

I've never had children and I don't give a flying rat's ass what society thinks about that.
I think it's really none of anyone's business why someone doesn't have children.
To be honest, it's pretty messed up that some people think it's okay for them to comment
on what other people do (not referring to you-it feels like you have a reason behind your
question), regarding whether they have children.
There are far too many people who have no business being parents.
No one has any room to criticize those who aren't parents, regardless of the reasons.

I see pregnancy as a sexually transmitted disease.

Burn them burn them !!!!

My daughter and her partner are childless. Thank goodness as he is a drunk alcoholic ?

Personally, I think it's commendable. I do, however, work with many people who still think a woman must have many children, especially sons and, of course, only in wedlock. I used to work with 2 women treated me with disdain because they have sons and I only have one daughter. In addition, one of them used to go on and on about the evils of single mothers until the day I said, "Oh, for Heaven's sake, K---, they're not serial killers!"

As for adopting children. Great, if thats what you want to do. Not so great if you adopt for the status of saying you "saved" the child from a horrible future. Sadly, a lot of children adopted (or should I say "bought" ) from foreign countries end up in the foster care system. Then, again, so do a lot people's biological children.

As a woman who does not have or want children, I can tell you that I have certainly gotten some shit in my life because of it. Especially from family. Apparently I am going to be an old maid. People think you are selfish, but it seems selfish to me to bring a child into this screwed up world for the sake of motherhood or passing along what are likely highly inferior genes. So... Yeah.

My youngest daughter grew up w several other girls from kindergarten. One married rather young, has 2 kids. Another had one, w her serious bf, who later left. Recently, another is married into a x-tian family, tho she's never been x-tian, no kids yet.
My daughter had a tubal, was it last summer?, deciding to never have any.
She threw a party to celebrate her choice, and not one of her closest friends came.!
I, personally, am a little sad, because I think she'd have been a wonderful mom, and her genes woulda been super to have passed along, and perhaps having a huge responsibility helps a person mature, sometimes.
It's always been her choice, and I've supported her. She really seems to have considered all the pros and cons
And it is her life.

I think if you don't want children you should not have them. How tragic to be brought into the world when you're unwanted. I think everyone needs to make the responsible choice. Don't make babies unless you're sure you want them and can take care of them. I applaud any woman who makes the choice NOT to have children because she does not want them. She is doing what is best for her and the child. One of my girls is the greatest aunt ever, but does not want to have babies. She has never wanted to have babies. Her body, her life, her choice and I support her and every other woman making that choice. And for the guys, if you don't want to have children, make sure you're not spilling fertile seed.

I'm happily childless and am surprised when people express anger at my choice. I just don't get how it affects them to the point of anger.

I may feel a little sad that they're missing out on the wonderful stuff. But then again, not every parent's experience is a happy one — for some it's genuinely desperate. I suppose that 'what you don't have you don't miss' has some truth to it, at least for those who don't long to have children.

I think back to my prior life and I was oblivious to the joy and love that I experience now, but I was also far, far less burdened by responsibility and anxiety... My evening routine these days is make dinner, get it on the table by 5:30, clear up, wash up, make tomorrow's packed lunch, get the kid in the bath, get her sorted for bed, stories, tidy up, sort my own stuff out for the morning, do half a dozen other 'parent' things I've forgotten, FINALLY sit down about 10pm, flake out, crawl off to bed....

So yeah, there's that. ?

I’m pro-extinction through diminishing reproduction rates. If I could push a button and sterilize the entire species, I’d be hitting it like I was playing Street Fighter. How beautiful would the planet be in a scenario like that of the series “Life After People”? So anyway, I smile when people do not reproduce.

I also think there is a strong argument for Zero, or Negative Population Growth, and some people purposely do not have children for the greater good of not contributing to the depletion of the Earth's resources. All the while, others (including religious zealots) are procreating like there's no tomorrow, which there may not be. Often these are the people who have no self-control over depleting resources. And the great irony is those with an intelligent plan for procreation (including not procreating) are probably the ones we DO want procreating... we will soon be outnumbered and outvoted by those who don't give a shit about the planet. This is a conundrum.

I have not spent any valuable time in coming to a conclusion either way. My business it aint.

I think many people get married and have kids because they feel that's the thing to do. And from my observations most people want kids because they want them for some purpose relating to them (save a relationship, force a relationship, I want to be a mommy-ie 'biological clock ticking', "I'm Catholic and must therefore reproduce more Catholics, etc) but nothing to do with the actual reality of providing for/nurturing a future adult.
I had 4 kids because I was young and dumb. I don't regret it. I love those window lickers!

Doesn't make a difference. I don't define anyone by whether or not they have children, and I think it's awfully silly to do so.

I commend people who are self aware enough to know they don't want children. I'm sure they receive a lot of pressure from friends and family.

Oh jeebus! Is this even still a thing in the 21st century?

Religious people feel it is very "sinful" for a couple to choose childlessness. Non religious people, you get a variety of reactions.

I'm childless. Tho I've had a few 'instant' family situations in my time, & currently have 3 "step" grandkids, whom I love dearly, I was really never the father type, so just as well not to get in that situation.

I work in child welfare and I don't want people who don't want children to have them. It is a personal choice either way.

I'm childless, though sometimes with a little regret. Plenty of nieces and nephews though...