To think it's unacceptable to say you don't like children?

Of course it’s ok to say you don’t like children! It’s ok to say you don’t like anything at all, it’s just an opinion.

It’s not children themselves that I’m not keen on, it’s when I’m the one who’s got to supervise them that I don’t like.

Mine are all grown up now and I can’t hell you how much more I enjoy life these days.

What is so wonderful about them that you are surprised that some people don't like them. They are alright but like dogs I don't want them permanently around me! Now cats on the other hand.........

'I do think less of people that dislike children. Children are fabulous 😍
But that’s as much of a generalisation as “children are horrible"

I wanted to a scream at the child kicking the back of my seat for hours on a plane journey (although Mum should have done something about that tbf)

The kid playing games on the tablet for hours with sounds on would have driven me up the wall too. But I was prepared with noise-cancelling headphones.

The screaming baby, well it was a baby and no control over their actions so headphones again.

I neither like or dislike children. They come in all flavours just like adults. I just prefer not to have too much contact with either.

People can like or dislike whatever they want.

It's strange that others want to say personal opinions are unacceptable.

I do think less of people that dislike children. Children are fabulous

Are they all fabulous though? Change children in that statement for any other group of people and it sounds odd. “I do think less of people that dislike disabled people. Disabled people are fabulous!”

Not all disabled people are fabulous. Not all white people are fabulous. Not all old or Muslim or Christian people are fabulous. I agree it’s fine if you want to think less of someone for airing a viewpoint about disliking a whole bunch of people. No problem at all. But by saying you love that whole bunch of the same people does sound weird if you replace children with any other group of people.

Children are often forced on people and so you have to be more blunt when saying why you don’t want any.

people also say it about other sects of society and no one bats an eye. My local Facebook group has recently hated:

teenage boys
parents who drive their children to school
dog/ cat owners
middle aged women (Karen’s)
single dads
and many more

I wouldn’t say it’s “wrong” as such or offensive. It’s just a bit sad, and I’d probably keep it to myself. And yes I’d say someone who really dislikes all dogs (as opposed to simply not wanting one himself) is also a bit of shame, though to a somewhat lesser extent.

However, Saying “I don’t like children” is no more acceptable than saying “I don’t like old people”

of course you can say that. We don't have a Thought Police, and we can have any opinion we like. Again, you can't act on it.

Go on I've bet you've said you don't like the french before now ;)

The irony is the “I don’t like children” statement sounds like just the sort of silly, narrow-minded viewpoint you might expect sone children to make.

The fact she was a teacher probably explains why she doesn't like children !)

Most people don't really want to be around other people's children. I like mine, but if I have a choice of sitting by the pool near other adults or other people's children, I'd obviously choose just adults.

I've heard people (including youth sports coaches!) without children go so far as to say, "I really hate kids." I do find that unnecessary.

I also think that if these people have children of their own they would love them, but I do understand that most people definitely do not love other people's children in general or prefer to be around them.

I do think less of people that dislike children. Children are fabulous 😍

But that’s as much of a generalisation as “children are horrible”.

Either it’s fine to generalise both positively and negatively or it’s not fine to generalise at all.

(I have known both fabulous and horrible children, so no axe to grind either way here!)

Mine too. See also scan photos..seen 1, seen them all.

I think it’s unacceptable to tell people what they can and can’t say. You mightn’t like it. You might find it offensive, but so what?

My BIL and SIL used to come out with the "don't like children" crap. They moved to Portugal and bought a very rural house. Their nearest neighbours were a family with (and I quote) "screaming brats".

Worth noting that BIL enjoys noisy DIY, taking apart engines and driving noisy motorbikes around the Portuguese countryside and SIL has several horses and runs a riding school teaching children how to ride.

But the icing on the cake is that SIL used to be a teacher. Go figure

As others have said, I personally think it’s weird to say you love or dislike ANY group of people. Those who compare “i don’t like children” with “i don’t like old people” or “i don’t like white people” and say well why is it ok to say one and not the other I do kind of agree with. But equally, it would be a bit weird to say “I love white people!” or “I love Jewish people!” But no one bats an eyelid if someone says “I love children”.

So even though I agree it’s wrong to kind of put a blanket dislike statement of any one group of people, the fact that a blanket “love” statement is apparently fine for children does kind of mean the same for dislike should be allowed as well.

I'm not a Mum. I came 20 years ago, had a look around, didn't relate and promptly left for that reason. I wouldn't say I dislike children any more than adults. I prefer to be in calm, quiet-ish surroundings and most children aren't exactly calm or quiet ime.

I'm now on Mumsnet for the feminist board. And I've since discovered that you don't have to be a mum to be here.

You're totally unreasonable.

Not all children are likeable.

And really, no-one has to like anyone.

My comment got deleted when I asked if I hit a raw nerve with a poster for coming up with a very uppity response to me wondering whether with some people it is a defence mechanism because they didn't have children, but it was a genuine point.

It's like women that have only sons (looking at you MIL) who profess really strongly how they never wanted daughters, never wanted girls, girls are hard work etc etc when it's quite clear it's a defense (certainly seen this evidence with my MIL who then comes out with "they're lucky in their old age that they've got a daughter ") or women that come out with "oh yuck boys, I hate boys, boys are so loud and messy. I'm so glad I've got 3 girls. I only wanted girls ". I think it's a case of protesting too much. It's not such a reach that it could be the case for some people without children saying they can't abide kids.

I do think less of people that dislike children. Children are fabulous 😍

I don’t really like children apart from my own. Generally they are noisy and annoying and I really don’t want to hear little Johnnies opinion on anything :-)

This.

Also sometimes you just have to kind of say it, politely or subtly. I'm sorry but I don't want to see dozens of baby photos, they're not pretty and they're boring. Some people don't read the room and continue to show you dozens of baby pics at every opportunity, despite you not responding enthusiastically or not asking to see more etc. Sometimes you just have to mumble "oh nice, yeah, dunno I'm not really a big fan of kids or babies I guess?" and hope they finally get it.

Absolutely personal experience 🤣😭

Cool? Edgy? Sociopaths?

Ffs.

I think as a species no one gets to not like kids, we'd go extinct without them.
Dislike unruly, bratish kids by all means, but that's a parent problem as opposed to a kid problem.