I sort of feel bad for people whom it's clear wished they had them, but that's it. Otoh there are too many people on this spinning ball. I never thought I'd have them myself until hit 30 sooo.
My body was all "fooled ya didn't I? " We haven't spoken since ...

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. ?

I have no children and l feel great. I haven't seen anything that has made me regret my decision.

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. ?

Over population is a world wide problem . Why should anyone be belittled , for not having more children . If you don't want them , don't have them .

I allow people to be as they wish.

I see pregnancy as a sexually transmitted disease.

I feel that they did what was best for them.
Unless you are absolutely certain you want them, you shouldn't have them.

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.

Some people don't want children, and that is their choice -- and mp one else's. It is not for others to judge.

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

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.

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.

Burn them burn them !!!!

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

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.

They are less selfish.

My oldest son and his wife decided back when they first met that they didn't want children. I never had a problem with their decision.

Having children is a huge responsibility. If you don't want the life-long commitment, you shouldn't have them.

Sometimes sad. I know a number of the kidless. some of them have accumulated "family" members of all ages. Others are feeling the emptiness.

And knowing some who have children of worthless value wish they were without.

I like idea of the cohabiting approaches: "retirement" homes that are full age range. These are good for those with children as well.

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!

should people being childless make me think anything about them?

I think there are many people who tend to see others who've made different life choices in a negative light.

Surely we can accept parents and childless people equally. We have 2 boys but that doesn't make be any better or worse or different than others. I love the old joke about the rhythm method of birth control, promoted by the Roman Church. "What do you call people who use the rhythm method?"
Parents!

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.

Lucky dogs!