Resentment at the continuation of the human race

[Caligula]

here

These people are just so bizarre. I thought this might amuse on a quiet Sunday evening.

[SenoraPostrophe]

obviously a slow news day then.

[Twiglett]

OMG

"28% of degree educated women currently end their reproductive lives childless."

[FrayedKnot]

Wonder what these 40 something whingers will be saying when they are 50 something and having to leave work urgently because their 70 something mother has just fallen down stairs and broken her hip.

No I suppose they will all be retired early because they could afford it, ha!

[Caligula]

I'm not sure that's a very shocking statistic. Isn't it 80% of women who have children, so 20% don't? So I guess 28% is not that much higher than the average?

[Caligula]

The funny thing about them is the idea that children are children. Every single one of us was once a child. That woman who says "Your child will look after me one day but I'm paying for their education now"... well actually, if you've ever been to hospital, been on a bus, bought anything, interacted with another human being, you're talking to someone's child. She's being served by other people's children every day.

Silly bint.

[SueW]

So who's going to pay their pensions and taxes into the community coffers if there are no children coming through to make contributions?

[blueshoes]

yes, having children is a lifestyle choice but it is a lifestyle choice that that benefits society (for all the reasons mentioned in earlier posts). It is also a lifestyle choice that is still, to me at least, shockingly hard on the pocket, not to mention sanity etc. How is anyone supposed to bring up a family when at the time when you have more mouths to feed, your income is significantly reduced (because one party has to down shift), your childcare costs go through the roof, you need a bigger house/mortgage, all happening at once?

When I was single, I have to admit I did notice that I had to work around colleagues with children. But now that I have one of my own, I know that without workplace flexibility and support (ok, what little) from the government, it would be a joke to expect anybody to want to reproduce otherwise.

[Rhubarb]

I know quite a few people who have chosen to remain childless for all sorts of reasons, they are not represented in that article. I didn't want children and would have been quite happy to remain childless too, I hope I would not have been judged quite so harshly.

[edam]

IIRC Norman Wells is the person the Mail call when they want some Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells type to have a go at allowing teenagers to access emergency contraception. So I'm not having him trying to tell me anything about family life, thanks v. much.

[Caligula]

But whenever they do articles like this, Rhubarb, they never talk to normal childless people. Just the loonies who have some kind of chip on their shoulder.

I can't ever remember feeling resentful of work colleagues with children - on the contrary, I pitied them. I certainly didn't think they were getting a better deal out of life/ the company/ the government etc. than I was.

[Janh]

OMG at what that Nick Defago person said:

"Your children will have to look after me when I'm old - but I'm paying their education now"

but? BUT? what does he mean, but? Doesn't he mean "and I'm happy to be paying for their education now"? What kind of ill-educated peasants does he want to be looking after him in his old age?

Of course there is a choice to have children or not but I hate the way some childless people look at the issue. "Oh my cat is poorly, I need some paid time off to nurse it"??? WTF?

[FairyMum]

Nutters.....

[throckenholt]

all the years before I had kids (I was 34 when I had my first) - I had paid my taxes etc - I was aware it paid for other peoples children to go to school and use the health services etc - but I was also aware it paid for rubbish collection, library services, defence etc etc etc - it is part of living in a modern democratic society. I didn't see any point in picking out the bits I didn't actually use at the time - at some point I may need to use them and I would be stumped if they were not there.

Kids are a fundamental part of that society - if you don't choose to have them - fine - but it does not excuse you from being part of that society and being partially responsible for them growing up as healthy happy productive individuals who help to guarrantee the future of the society you live in. So stop whinging and get on with your life !

(that is to the people in the article by the way - I am aware they won't read this so I am not sure why I am writing it )

[Caligula]

Also what has occurred to me is that those people were once kids and had their education, healthcare etc. paid for by childless people too...

[Rhubarb]

I hated kids when I was a kid!

[ScummyMummy]

Like your post, throckenholt.

[Marina]

v true throckenholt.
I have quite a few sensible childless friends and colleagues and none of them think like Nicki deFargo.

[LeftOverTurkey]

I recently heard a woman on the radio moaning she couldn't go on holiday in the school hols as as the people with kids took all those slots. Who the hell wants to go on holiday in the school hols? Far too bl**dy expensive. Unless I suppose you have no kids in which case you can afford it .