Anyone else that's childfree here?

I'm also not planning to have children any time soon. Tho I wasn't under the impression bjd would be something for kids anyways. It's more like an adult collectors plaything.

 

I love kids! ...I just don't want any of my own for various reasons.

 

Don't like kids, never wanted them. Majority of my friends and doll friends feel the same, so I am pretty much surrounded by childfree people

 

I don't have any real animosity towards kids, but I don't feel a real desire to have them...I think I'm a bit selfish (LOL); would rather spend the money on dolls or art supplies or video games or something.

Also very mortified at the idea of a small child, even if it WAS mine, getting a hold of one of my bjds....

 

Me! And at 35 my family is starting to believe that I might just be serious about it after all...?

Nothing like having your life choices constantly dismissed, lol.

 

Fun > children

 

This is such a mood isn't it? Mine finally gave up when I found a spouse that's just as uninterested in them as I am!

 

To be fair, I'd argue getting kids is actually pretty selfish.
It only benefits one person, namely yourself and maybe the other parent. Your kid can't consent to it, and has to deal with your decision for the rest of their life. It only exists because the parent(s) selfishly decided it should for their sake, no matter the consequences. It's certainly not selfless to decide to bring another living being into the world because you want to have a kid.

So don't feel bad, we're all equally selfish in the pursuit of our own comfort and fulfillment

 

YES! I com from a large family and when growing up just assumed I'd one day have a large family myself because that's just what everyone did. By the time I entered college, my thinking was "no more than 2 if I have any kids". By my junior year, I KNEW that 0 kids was how many I wanted. My youngest sister and I are the only ones in the family without children and we are both VERY happy with our decision. While I have many nieces and nephews, I have found that I like them so much more after they hit their mid 20s!

 

I don't have the patience to raise a semi-well-adjusted kid and I don't like other people's kids for long stretches of time (the exact amount depends on the kid).

My dolls and my other hobbies won't get me in legal trouble when I put them down and forget about them for months. lol

 

I don't have any kids but I'd like to have a family some day. I'm not rushing it though! Out of all my friends, I'm actually the only one who actually wants to have kids! It's perfectly normal to not want kids, it's just something that is usually expected in society which I think should change. And there's some people who definitely shouldn't have kids lol

 

I’ve never wanted to have kids. The idea of pregnancy freaks me out. Growing up, I always said I’d rather adopt a kid. By the time I hit my late 20s, I decided raising any small humans was not a thing I ever want to do. Now I’m 41 and happily child-free. My mom asks me about her grandcats, I’m so relieved that she never tried to pressure me into motherhood.

 

Swear word yes! Not wanting to impose life on someone else aside my health and genes have determined this bloodline ends with me. And at the moment we aren't even in a position to have a fur baby altho before our current living situation we had four that made it to become teenagers. You want bottles and bottoms to wipe? Foster puppies and kittens.

What I am wanting to do is find someone who can drive, because I can't, to become a room mate/slight care taker (my mobility waffles)/eventual heir for my user names and worldly goods. Which will include a super sweet dollhouse like I never had as a child because of a sibling who has been written out of my will.

 

I am an only child, but I have a large extended family, so I know the joy of babysitting children. I was already dead set well before babysitting anyone, that I would never have children. At fourty-one-years-old, I am a thousand percent certain I will never have children. I can't imagine myself as a parent, and I never wanted to know what it would be like. I don't dislike children, because I did have fun when I babysat some of my extended families' kids, I wasn't much older compared to most, since my father is the youngest of seven kids (so I never had to change diapers thank the heavens!). Marriage was something I also never wanted and never will. I don't feel like dolls are a replacement for children for me, they are just things I've always loved, and will always love and never stopped collecting just 'cause I got old -- I don't like the baby ones though, I am not a fan of child-like dolls in general (unless they are hyperstylized).

 

For sure, and no intention of changing that notion any time soon. Some people definitely shouldn't be parents... and I know I'm one of them, haha. I'm more than happy to dedicate time to my relationship with my partner and myself.

 

And adding to your reasoning - an ever increasing number of people argue that these days it is selfish to have children because the very last thing this planet needs now is more people. Sounds cold, maybe, but it's a fact...

 

I believe that children are a gift from God. However, marriage is not my vocation, so no babies and no relationships for me (never had a boyfriend, never want one), which means I am free to enjoy being an aunt to all my dear nieces and nephews. They are all young right now (nine months to almost four years old) and it is wonderful to watch their personalities developing over time and to see what they bring to the world, each one entirely unique, irreplaceable, and beautiful in their own way.

I don't know if I would be a good mother - I have health issues, am a huge introvert so need a lot of alone time, can be grumpy when my writing/art is not going well haha, etc. But I think I can be a pretty good aunt! At least I love being able to spend time with them and to help my siblings out when I can. Dolls are not a replacement for children in my opinion - but I have always loved miniatures and crafting, so my enthusiasm for bjds developed from that interest.

 

I can barely afford myself and my own expensive hobbies. /coughcoughbjdcoughcough
But on a serious note, I don't feel I could trust myself to care for a newborn up to about 4 years old. I'll admit that I do not like babies. (Of any species.) Though I do love kids once they're able to be their own individuals. I also love being able to send them back to their parents so I can retreat to my quiet home. I like to say that I like my dolls to be actual dolls and not babies. Add in that I absolutely do not ever want to be pregnant. I actually have plans already in motion to get myself fixed. Was just approved a couple weeks ago so should be done by the ending of this year~

 

I have the added fun of also not wanting a spouse. Hermit life!

 

That's totally valid too! I was on that road until I found someone just as hermitty as me lol. Not everyone wants that, though I'm personally very happy to have found someone who totally understands and isn't offended when I peace out to be alone.

 

No kids and no regrets. I made this decision as a child as I’m happier alone, except for my mom and aunt. I could be on a deserted island and be perfectly happy.

 

For multiple reasons, but especially health reasons, spouse and I are DINKs - dual income, no kids. I think children are delightful, and uh, kinda necessary to the continuation of the human race, but none for us. So I spoil my nieces/nephews rotten.
Not really interested in having child-like dolls, but I will admit I kinda want a reborn. I would love to relive that very, very brief time when my nieces/nephews were babies and didn't mind being held by non-parents. I held them for hours and rocked them to sleep. It was such a short period, and I miss it so much.
Now I am excited for the nieces and nephews to hit their teenager stage. I know - I can hear all the parents groaning through the screen. But they're so gosh darn interesting at that age.

 

Much to my mother's irritation i have not and will never raise a human child, only kittens or puppies in this household tyvm! Thankfully my sister has distracted her by popping out a couple so until the current niece grows out of being a baby who has no choice in anything ever and no ability to talk back, i have a bit of a reprieve in my mom's passive aggressive or frankly insulting comments.
Aside from just generally lacking any maternal instinct whatsoever, there are so many problems with the world right now that it feels wrong to force that on a kid who has no say in their existence. Like I certainly didn't consent to growing up to deal with the issues we're having to deal with; i don't even want to imagine the issues that will be happening in 10, 20, 30+ years!

 

well I've never wanted children and since I discover that I'm transmasc I don't ever plan on being pregnant.
besides I already find it difficult to function in this world as is.

 

I don’t want kids I just don’t have the patience for them. I also like my freedom and not have to worry. I also like my peace and quiet time to myself.
When I was a teen most of my family whenever we would get together which was a couple times a month, basically expected me to watch all of my little cousins and siblings. This was over 6+ people I was watching. If they got hurt/trouble they would get mad at me.
i think this is part of the reason really don’t like kids or want my own.

 

I have a son but he's an adult with his own kids now. Kids were never something I wanted to tick off on my to-do list but stuff happened and I had a son. Never intended on another so had myself switched from breeding show stock to house pet quality and I was much happier (and relieved) to no longer be in the running for more kids. I love my son and grandkids (I have 3) and do see them fairly regularly. But it's wonderful not to have to be responsible for anyone aside from myself (and the cat).

My dolls are not, nor have they ever been replacements or substitutes for children. 5 of my collection (75 current dolls) are children with the rest all being mature/adult. I never thought I'd have child dolls but how many times have we said "I'll never <insert item here> in this hobby." only to do that very thing later.

 

Im lucky in a sense that my parents have never pressured me to give them grandkids, they have always supported me and accepted that I might not ever have children. I dont care for it or the thought of being a mother, it doesnt suit me I love my animals and niece and thats enough for me

 

Neither Mr. Bright nor I ever wanted kids. so we never had any of our own. I do have a god daughter, three nephews and two nieces, though... With one more on the way, whose parents have left the girl-or-boy question a total mystery.

We get to be the "cool aunt and uncle in Seattle", which is sort of the best of all worlds. 'Helping out with all of the fun parts of having kids around, spoiling the munchkins rotten... AND THEN GIVING THEM BACK TO THEIR PARENTS.

Which is the thing. I don't dislike kids. I get along with them really well... I just never actually wanted to be anybody's mom.

Edited to update: Parity has been reached in the 'Cousins Crew'! The newbie turned out to be a girl.... So, now it's even with three nephews and three nieces.

 

I'll join the club. Always knew kids and relationships weren't for me.
I've always had a sort of phobic reaction to babies and baby dolls. Going through pregnancy sounds absolutely horrible to me, so no thanks, I'll stick to keeping furry critters.

When my mom found a new boyfriend in my late teens I even looked at her and said that if they had a baby they shouldn't count on me to babysit!

My mom wasn't ever really one for pressuring me to start a family but it's been jokingly mentioned where my answer was that if grandkids were important to her maybe she should've had more than one kid to improve her chances.

 

I'm 73 now and never had children due to a medical condition which caused me to be incapable of becoming pregnant. It did not bother me when I was younger, because I had a career which kept me busy and fulfilled. I convinced myself that I really did not want kids. But now when I hear my friends talking about their grandchildren, it makes me sad that I missed out on motherhood.

Edited to add: I do like being around children, but not babies. I have never been one of those people who go ga-ga over babies. I don't want anything to do with them until they can communicate and have a personality. I really enjoy talking with kids, but don't have any desire to be around babies or even toddlers. They are cute from a distance.

 

I have no intention on having children, i don't really want to give more details into it, but i will have plenty more money to spend on hobbies. All i can say is that i know for a fact that it's for the best.

 

I'm 42, married, and child-free by choice, and I've been married since I was 24. I've never wanted to be pregnant or have children. It has happened a couple of times that my husband and I have started double-dating with other couples, then they have a child, and the double dates are over, which is disappointing. We have our careers, our hobbies, and our pets. Only thing I would wish for is some new friends to hang out with.

 

This is the same way I feel! I had to be honest to myself and admit I'm a bit selfish lol- I don't dislike kids but I don't want that responsibility and financial burden

 

I was always on the fence about having kids (usually leaning heavily against it) and just discovered that I physically cannot. So at the moment I have some feelings about losing that choice, but it's also kind of a relief? Now there's no question mark regarding that hovering over the future, so it makes planning easier for my fiancé and I. We know a bunch of people who are having kids right now, so we'll get to be the cool (*cough* very nerdy *cough*) aunt & uncle for them!

 

Honestly, all of this ^

I do want kids, although when I was younger I did not. It wasn't until around 17-20 that I decided it would be okay if I became a mom but I only ever wanted two. However, I've always been of the mindset that you must have the financial stability and means necessary before bringing a child into the world (plus of course I do not want children without a partner who also wants that responsibility and have yet to find one). Because of this, I've never been pregnant; although there were a few times I thought I was, but wasn't. I grew up poor and have been on the struggle bus financially my whole life. It just doesn't seem like I'll ever be able to offer that stability at the level I feel is necessary to raise kids. I'm lucky to have gotten the few dolls I do have when I was in college, but my hobbies alone are even too expensive for me right now. Honestly, having kids with how expensive medical bills and everything else for children is doesn't really seem possible for me. Dolls IMO are much cheaper and more easily afforded without putting me into financial debt. Plus this world is so crappy right now, I just don't really want to bring a kid into the world that will have to struggle financially and deal with all of this garbage. My dolls are not a replacement for kids, but I do see why some people's dolls are.

I had a chance to be a "step mom" for roughly two years until April of this year and it just kinda solidified for me more that I did/do want to be a mom, but definitely not to more than 2 kids. My ex had 3 (a now 14, 13 and 6 yr old). I'm the middle child of three kids. Taking care of his three kids by myself was so hectic with that age difference because the younger two were always fighting. So signing up for that many of my own just seems like a mess waiting to happen and I do not wish to relive my/their experience growing up through my own children. My ex's eldest always felt like they were having to take care of their siblings like a third parent until they were living with their dad and I for a year (they did help me when I asked/they offered but I always gave them an out if they didn't want to). Because of that, at 13/14 they told me they never want children and I completely understand why.

I find pregnancy scary as well like someone else mentioned. But I did/do want to carry if possible. Idk why since all the things that can go wrong stress me out when I think about it I'm also not opposed to adoption if that were in the cards financially.

So for now I guess it's just me, my cat, and my dolls. Maybe some day I'll have the stability and meet a compatible partner who also wants children. I'm 33 now though so I honestly don't think that's ever going to happen. At least I have my hobbies.

 

A lot of eldest daughters saddled with younger siblings chose not to have children of their own. I was robbed of my childhood, teen, and young adult years and even beyond at times because the age difference between me and my younger sister was so much.

 

Childfree by choice here, my family has a bad mental health history. I grew up with undiagnosed autism (got it diagnosed in my 30s), and I wouldn't wish it upon anyone, let alone my child.
Adding to that, the state of the world makes me worry constantly and again, wouldn't want to wish it upon a child.

I have my cats and to a lesser degree my dolls to baby and take care of, and the bonus of cats is that they're independent enough that when I have a bad day, they're doing fine with just getting fed

 

@Ysebeth Cats are the best babies!! Soft and warm and the perfect size when you need something baby sized to cuddle and then they just go do their own thing. I miss having cats.

I only have a Chihuahua right now and she's the right size but a bit too baby. Love her to death but she is so clingy and needy!!

 

Yup! Hooman Child-free!
But with a house full of cats! Nine cats and two kittens right now.

 

*raises hand* I am child free. The thought used to cross my mind a lot in the past but the planets never aligned in that direction and now it's a medical impossibility so instead I spoil my nephew and niece when I can and otherwise spoil my cat babies.

 

I'm childfree and okay with it. One time I almost wasn't childfree and I was like I never thought I'd be so happy for menstruation

I don't have the temperament for it. I already deal with enough people that I can't communicate effectively with all day long at work that adding a baby/young child outside of work hours would probably kill me with stress. Even if that wasn't the case, I still wouldn't have the temperament for it. The neighbor kid visited a few weeks ago. I gave him a late birthday/early Christmas present. (It didn't come out in time for his birthday.) Sweet kid. Not so young that I couldn't talk to him some. Happy to see him. Needed a week to recharge.

I couldn't do the whole baby thing. I already have a hard enough time sleeping. all night long would kill me. My truck would be wrapped around a telephone pole in a couple days of bringing the baby home.

Continuing my family's genetic legacy isn't important to me. I don't have that drive in me. I don't think I ever did. One time about 10 years ago I told my dad about it. He was cool with it. I still feel the same way.

Sometimes I think about adopting. I probably couldn't stand adopting an elementary school age child. Maybe middle school age or older. They'd have to be old enough that I could at least communicate with them. I know, they're becoming teenagers at that age, hormones, things getting weird, etc. That still scares me less than a young child.

I'd drop a baby. I'd be that person. I'd be holding a baby, and all of a sudden I've got butterfingers and here comes child protective services. I don't hold babies. I'd rather wrestle a bear. Someone says to me hold my baby I say go yourself.

I have my dolly daughters. One BJD, one Momoko. It's just pretend, but it makes me plenty happy. I make little photostories with them, we play, we talk about them growing up, they call me Daddy. They're sweet and unrealistic, just the way I like kids.

 

I happen to love kids but still think I would better serve as a mentor or something than full time parent. It takes a village, all children deserve safety and guidance and not all parents can be or are that. And there are too many children who have nothing.

 

I like kids. When I was a teen I babysat a lot, volunteered to work in the nursery and toddler classes at church during Sunday school, and I was even a teacher’s aide in an elementary school for four years for first and second grade classes, with occasional help in the kindergarten and third grade classes as needed. That was my favorite job that I ever held, because kids are fun and you never know what’s going to come out of their mouths from moment to moment. Unfortunately the pay absolutely sucked, so I was forced to quit and find a job that I could earn a real living on, which is the one I’ve got now and have held for 20 years (I’m 46). It’s in a factory and is the complete opposite of my last job, but hey, I can afford to pay for things like rent. And car insurance. And groceries.

That being said, I don’t have kids of my own and haven’t ever really wanted them. Growing up, my parents took in foster babies. Not just any babies, but the ones who were physically and mentally … I don’t think disabled is the right word, but they had a lot of problems. Premature drug-addicted babies that had a lot of health problems and needed a lot of care. Other foster care parents were often not willing to take on these challenges, but my mother is the type who needs to be needed, and so she’d take them in until either they got adopted or their birth parents cleaned up their act and was able to take them back. They never stayed more than maybe a year before being placed on, so we had a lot of babies (never more than one at a time though, thank goodness). Unfortunately, me being the only daughter at the time, I often got called on to take care of them, too. So there was always a lot of crying and spitting up and diaper changing, etc…

(To this day, even though I like kids, a crying baby is one of the most annoying sounds in the world)

I never resented their decisions and I still don’t. My parents did a really good thing and those poor babies would have been in a whole lot worse situation if not for their help. In fact, they adopted the last three they took in themselves (who all have various mental disorders because of their birth parents), because they all stayed for years instead of months, unlike the others, and it just felt wrong to move them on after so much time. So, I ended up with two little sister and a third brother. I was in high school at the time, though, so I was never as close to them as they are to each other because of that huge age gap. These kids are now fully grown and two of them have kids of their own. In fact, between my five siblings (two blood-related brothers), I have seven nieces and nephews. So my parents have plenty of grandkids to spoil without my help adding more.

Luckily, my family never gave me any grief over not getting married or having kids. I think my mom understands because she’s an introvert like me and she also realizes that with all the raising of kids I did when I was just a kid myself, I got pretty much the majority of my motherly instincts satisfied from a really young age. I’m more than happy to put what I’ve got left to my small menagerie of animals, instead. They’re kind of expensive to take care of (like kids!) but at least they’re quiet and don’t scream when they want something. Like my attention.

Well. Except Tori. Tori is a moody 15 year old cockatiel. Tori likes to scream. A lot. Damned teenagers.

 

I've always been horrified at the idea of parenthood. Happy to be a fun uncle, should either of my sisters ever be so blessed, and I enjoy being a fun cousin who can provide limited amounts of childcare. I like to pick out gifts for the kiddos in the family, and play board games/card games, and bake cookies, all that stuff, but I also need a LOT of recovery time per hour spent with a child, and I'm just not paternal to anything that doesn't have four legs and fur. I don't even think babies are cute, really. It doesn't mean I don't love the ones in the family, but... yeah. Happy not to have them.

 

Love kids, but am & will always be child-free. The closest I get are my nieces &nephews, and being tia is more than enough for me.

My kiddos are strictly non-human: dogs, rats, bettas, hermit crabs, plants, my dolls.

 

I’m also child free. My husband always jokes that we like sleep and money LOL. Happy being cat parents. But really I just have had a lot of medical issues that I don’t want to pass on, have a very intense career (that I love) and also have spent most of my adult life living paycheck to paycheck, so now that I’m in a much better, more financially stable position, I’d like to enjoy it without added responsibilities.

I’m also an adoptee and have a lotttt of complicated feelings about that and am not sure I’d be the best person to raise a kid without passing on my own personal baggage. Love kids though and am excited to be the cool aunt one day when my younger siblings have children lol.

 

Your parents sound absolutely fantastic. And you, with your involvement even if you had to because you were a kid.

 

I don't want kids, and will be getting a tubal ligation as well because of it. My partner is even going to get a vasectomy lol.

I don't dislike kids, but I don't like them either. There's nothing about parenthood that I'm interested in, and I don't feel like I'm missing anything either.

I've gone through years of people being pretty judgemental, from family, friends to ex's too. My previous partner lied and said he didn't want kids when he actually did. He was hoping I'd change my mind eventually lol
Needless to say, I'm 30 and my thoughts on it are stronger than ever.

 

Screaming brats reaffirming my decision aside it's when I run into other children, especially girls, I see my childhood in that I am glad I shattered the chain. There was one yesterday I was dying to tell that ___ was the root of the problem, fixing it would always be beyond your pay grade, but getting an education would be a good start to breaking free.

 

I'm not a... family sort of person. I am too selfish to care for someone else...

 

I have… very mixed feelings about having children, to put it simply.

Growing up, I was so excited to one day get married and have kids. As time went on and the opportunity definitely did not come my way (and still hasn’t), my mind began to change.

I am very selfish (and not sorry for it), and want all of my time and money to myself. Besides, with my anxiety, I would be an absolute mess, constantly worrying about my child and keeping them safe, and away from bad influences. The world is such a horrible place now that I can’t understand why anyone would want to bring a child into it.

On the other hand, I must admit that there is a small part of my heart that silently weeps for the opportunity that I feel I was never given.

I am happy with my life the way it currently is, even though nothing was as I had planned, but…complicated feelings are complicated, ha ha.

 

I've never wanted kids for myself, and that notion just gets more and more reinforced the older I get. I deeply love my nieces, but seeing them as babies and toddlers (and as ornery kids) has made me realize that I couldn't handle it 24/7. I get nasty when my sleep is interrupted, I require a lot of alone time, and I have something of a temper- I wouldn't wish that on any child. I also wouldn't wish my family's long history of serious mental illness on them.

So basically, while kids are fine for other people, they're not for me.

My family used to use the whole "oh you'll find the right man, you'll change your mind" speech on me, but at 34 I think I've outgrown that lol. As a bi ace person who's quite satisfied being alone, I don't think "the right man" is even in the cards. And I am perfectly content with that.

 

If you ever want to stick a bottle in something cute and wipe a bottom and have it love you unconditionally there are always neonate puppies and kittens. I suppose if you have the means there are orphan foals and elephants too.

 

One of my cousins has bottle-raised a few calves over the years and is currently looking after an orphaned donkey foal. Those are pretty darn cute, too. And she's said more than once that the little jack reminds her a lot of a toddler. Apparently he gets into everything.

 

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For various reasons I don't want to have/raise children, despite briefly wanting them via adoption when I was younger. But that phase has long passed and the only grandchildren my parents will ever get from me are the furry kind

 

I actually love kids, loving to see some friends having kids of their own recently and would love to be an aunt someday. That said, I don't actually have any desire to have or raise kids of my own, so cats will have to do for my family.