My mom avoided dating guys that didn’t have kids because it could mean that they want some later. Now she married to someone younger that’s used to the bachelor life and it’s a huge change for him but she’s willing work on it. He’s got a LONG way to go though.
I don’t care either way but I’m on the younger side and so is my kid. I don’t have any experience dating with kids though.

I had a conversation on another site with a man who had never been married or been a parent (he was 61) who said that he expected any woman with whom he had a relationship to put him first -- she needed to stop putting her kids first. I should add that he had dogs that he expected to become a priority for any woman he dated. He was angry and offended when I told him that I thought that was an unrealistic expectation. My daughter is an adult, but she will always be my first priority. He told me he thought that was selfish. Needless to say we didn't communicate further.
That said, I have a friend in a great relationship with a man in his 50;s who had never had a relationship before because of his father's death and the need to assume the family business and take care of his mother. It was finally time that he could think of himself.
So I have opened my mind to more types of men. There are a lot of reasons for all sorts of status. Divorce I get -- I've been there -- and there is some bias on my part to find someone with a similar history to mine. But i'm more open minded than in the past.

I never married and I don't have kids because I decided to do some serious and not-so-serious dating, finish college, get a career, and buy a house instead of marrying the first person I seriously dated, pop out a few kids, go through a messy divorce, and wind up at the same spot I am now but with a lot more baggage and resentment

Seems like I dodged a bullet

I think she may have been too close minded. Cultural differences? I think of that as one person having grown up entirely different, like a different country.

Personally I would be interested to know how or why you were never married and didn’t have kids. Curious but not judgy. I pretty much did was expected of me so I admire someone who is strong enough to do what is right for them

It just may be difficult for you to understand that her kids will always come before you.

Next.

Oh yeah bro... your lack of commitment to a train wreck means you are not "trainable".

I think she has other issues.

The no kids issue is not to me.

Depending on age, the never married part might be a light red flag as I would assume it meant the person had a fear of commitment.

I might find out I'm wrong -- maybe they had a 26-year live-in, like-married relationship or something--but that's what I would initially think.

no. looks like you had a good feeel for what you want in life. It could be a red flag for others but I think a few conversations would clarify if that were an issue or not

Gee, wait until she found out you were Agnostic or Atheist. She has a preconceived notion that was based on having one message from you. That to me is a huge reason to let that one go. Or maybe that was just a good excuse to let you know she wasn't interested. Onward and Upward!

That woman is WAY TOO NORMAL for you, she did you a favour so move on. There are plenty of fish in the sea, sounds just like a dating app my niece uses.

She thinks you will not be able to share, nor understand, some of her feelings and perspectives.

And she is correct.

To some maybe. Families do get together for holidays and there are bound to be grandchildren around.

One person's comment does not speak for the entire heterosexual female demographic.

It speaks to her own limitations, and how narrow her world view is, rather than the mindset of women in general. I expect she would be shocked to hear that I don't have children, and never wanted any. Probably a very good thing she said this up front, rather than continuing before finding out. This is her problem, not yours.

It wouldn't necessarily be a red flag for me. It could be a major bonus. No worrying about blending families, for starters. I would be curious, though, just as I would be curious about the divorce(s) and kid(s) of anyone I might date. Getting to know each other is always a good start. Sounds like she wasn't willing to do that, so I'm guessing you dodged a bullet, as others have said.

It's B.S. You have to ignore it, mainly because you can't change it but more importantly because, if you've been dating forever you know that some women have all different kinds of rules: 1) You have to be divorced for a certain period of time before you're ready to date (how they can tell a total stranger when they are ready to date is beyond me) 2) If you don't have kids and never raised them you are not qualified to talk to or have any relationship with children (I'd love to know where this "science" comes from, just like anything else you've never done in your life, you can't possibly do it) 3) If you've never been married you must have commitment issues (impossible that you haven't met "the one" yet) 4) The ones who have read Men Are From Mars... or have gone to relationships classes and are following the script they learned (they dont' know how to have a relationship so they take this class, read the book etc and all of a sudden, "poof" they are experts, sadly if it's not spontaneous etc it doesn't work). You just have to be prepared to explain why it is youve never been married because it's normal for "her" to wonder what the catch is. As you would if you met a woman in a similar situation. Good luck. When my dating book comes out, I'll include your dilemma.

In other words, she wants what is past and gone, does not accept the changes that have occurred, and does not want to be intellectually challenged. Sounds like you dodged a bullet. Count your lucky stars!

When someone takes issue with any aspect of who you are as a reason not to move forward don’t fight it, they just shot a torpedo across your bow, wish them luck and say next.

Not mine, but I'm not like other women.
I'm also not looking for anyone.

To each their own I suppose, but I would be thankful if someone dismissed me as an option for those reasons. It saves me the investment of time and energy only to become disappointed later when I realize how shortsighted they are and how quickly they jump to conclusions.

Hell no! Having kids is a big red flag for me, personally

Nope. I'm also single and have never had kids.

No right or wrong. Just her thing.