When I get interrogated, I often just come straight out with it: “nope. we don’t have or want kids. We’re happy just the way we are.”

It’s interesting to see the responses I get. Of course, many are of the usual negative/shocked variety. But the most interesting response I ever got was from a coworker who replied, “No WONDER you don’t have any wrinkles!”

(That one tickled me)

“We’re trying.”
“We’re going to start trying next year.”
“We want two kids.”
“We already have their names picked out, and we’re not even pregnant!”
“We’re getting treatments.”
“Bob has a low sperm count, you know, so…”
“My uterus hurts because it’s empty.”

Maybe the assumption is that the information just belongs in public…?

Also, in telling my own mother about the decision, she was less than supportive. She said that she was afraid that it would “wreck my marriage”. She had 3 kids, 2 failed marriages, multiple jobs to pay for her kids even with child support, daily migraines – which she has since told me that she had thought about suicide at the time because she was so stressed and in pain, and she was never what I would call “motherly” or really interact with any of us. So, my take is that she still had “wrecked marriages” and was left holding the baggage, and even wanted to kill herself. That’s the good thing about old age because it makes you forget about your past.

Either way, she continues to give me her opinions about my having children and how it will be different when they are mine – if I hear that one more time!!

Yes, the octuplet mother is a bloomin’ idiot, IMO, as the expression goes where I come from! I read that she had fertility treatments, but didn’t “expect to have that many babies”. Why the hell would you have fertility treatments if you already have six kids?? What, six isn’t enough? Her fertility seemed just fine the other half-dozen times around! It’s nice that she will make her own parents help caring for all this litter of kids, isn’t it?

This was just plain irresponsible foolishness, and unfortunately, as they grow older, the children will be the ones to suffer.

I just have to comment on this sentence, Lee, it’s absolutely brilliant! Spot on!

CF are challenged every day about who we are and about the choices we made. Parents contiune the path they always followed, simply continue to be the same jerk they always been, but pull the parent-card when they feel righteous to defend their stand. “Dont come and tell me ANYTHING….because I have a CHILD..!!”..Redicilous..

Erich Fromm, great quotes.

Horsey (and agricultural) gals deal with shit every day of their lives and are therefore less than impressed when somebody claims that changing a dirty nappy is The Hardest Job In The World (even if they have kids).

Anyhoo, somebody pointed out that they do not appreciate it when some kid takes their temper out on their pony (which happens, I’ve seen it) and their parents not only condone their actions, bur rush to their pwecious’ defence if anybody dares to challenge them! WTF? You don’t mistreat animals, FULL STOP, no matter what age you are. I would rush to the defence of an animal before I did a child – sorry, that’s harsh, but it’s the truth.

All the entitle-moos came out in force, claiming that ‘you can’t challenge other people’s parenting styles’. I’m sorry?! If somebody was knifing somebody else in the street, I would challenge their ‘social styles’!

But apparently we’re not allowed to say anything to parents because we don’t have any children and therefore we don’t understand. Like a lack of experience disallows anybody an opinion – I hunt, but I understand that other people choose not to and/or find it cruel – I’m perfectly willing to engage in a discussion about this with them without decrying that they cannot possibly have any views because they haven’t experienced it!

Christ, people are stupid. *rolls eyes*