To find the term 'child free' annoying?

[stuffstuffeverywhere]

Why not just say you don't want kids? Why do people have to make it sound like some dietary requirement? It's as if they see small humans as some kind of allergen or digestive irritation to be avoided.

You are becoming like an allergen OP. Irritating.

What irritates me about the term is that to me it sounds like it implies a judgement that parents are inferior. You'd never say you are "free" from something that you consider a good thing

I consider it to be a good thing- FOR OTHER PEOPLE. Why is this so hard to understand? Like children, don't want them.

I've found that these 'child free' people are often also 'gluten free' and 'dairy free' for no medical reason, other than " it's healthier " or " more natural ". Possible also wibbling on about paleo-bollocks or clean eating. Or they only want 'positive people' in their lives.

How terribly annoying for you.

@stuffstuffeverywhere Not the choices, just the term.

OK, what is your approved term then?
And what do we say to all the follow up questions?

There are plenty of smug parents out there though who love to drone on about how wonderful children are/ your life lacks purpose until you become a parent/ you have never experienced love/ you're not a proper grown up/ etc etc...

@BumDisease oh god those are the worst! Showing me pictures of darling Timmy in the school nativity 🤮 and then telling me how I will never know love blah blah

If people don't have children by choice, why wouldn't they be smug about it? They've made the right choice for them which they're happy about, so it seems perfectly reasonable and understandable that they would be pleased about that. As for comparing children to unpleasant things, I imagine some people that choose not to have children are doing so because they don't like them. I would argue that's a valid and sensible reason not to have children.

We probably all know people in the other camp that are overly smug about their children's achievements and talk about their children like they're the second coming. I personally haven't come across people that act in a similarity irritating way when discussing they fact they're 'child free', I think overbearing, smug parents are likely more common.

OP you're a dick. HTH

What irritates me about the term is that to me it sounds like it implies a judgement that parents are inferior. You'd never say you are "free" from something that you consider a good thing.

The term childless when used by parents can also imply judgement that the childless are inferior, or hadn't you noticed?

Peregrane

The thing is though is that society acts as though your life isn’t ‘complete’ until you have children. Saying ‘child-free’ just frames it as a choice rather than an infliction.
Parents are always going on about how having children was the best thing that ever happened to them and you know what? I’m happy for them. Good for them. So why aren’t people without children allowed to be as confident in their choices?

op, you have anger issues. What an utterly pointless topic to get worked up about.

I like it.

I find it helpful to know if I'm talking to a Bananafish81 or a PositivelyPERF so I can respond without putting my foot in it too much.

I use the term when my DS is with the exH. For those weekends I'm child-free.

and I sing it out loud to the tune of Born Free on the way back from drop off

Or they only want 'positive people' in their lives.

One of my closest friends is turning into one of these 'people'

Well you won't have to worry about maintaining that friendship for much longer. So that should reduce your stress a bit.

I think that generally it's because the alternative - 'childless' - conjours up images of a forlorn person who is sad to have never had children. It's positive instead of negative.

So it can be a term used to stop nosey people asking certain people 'why/how don't you have kids?',it can be used as a term through a life choice. It can be used when a parent gets a night out like 'woohoo child free' but yeah op,rock on be sweet corn,scorpion free...whatever floats your boat :)

YABU to give a flying fuck. I'm allergic to toddlers. Don't find them cute at all. Those days are long past for me. I'm glad. I'd be happy to visit child free establishments.

conjures ffs

I've found that these 'child free' people are often also 'gluten free' and 'dairy free' for no medical reason, other than " it's healthier " or " more natural ".

I'm trying to go twat-free at the moment. It's really helping with my killing urges.

Childfree as opposed to childless.

Why should anyone who uses the term care whether you like it or not? Do you survey a hundred people before you use any descriptors?

Anyway, one good response I read in response to the head-tilting "why don't you have children" is a cheerful, smiley "I dunno, just lucky I guess!"

Oh fuck me, that's awesome .. I'm so using that next time.

If you've ever used the phrase "well, as a parent" or "speaking as a mother" or "you'd understand if you had kids" then you can naff off with saying that childfree people "sound smug".

Comparing humans -small or otherwise - to allergens is entirely valid. The OP, for example, is getting right up my nose.

When you say you don’t want kids you get lots of people telling you you’re wrong, it’s different when they’re your own, what will you do in old age, that it’s your duty as a woman, that you’re not a proper wife, that you’ll change your mind and much more. When you say you’re child free it’s much more of a conversation closer.

As you’re seemingly very worked up at people’s choice of phrasing I’m sure you can project that annoyance at having to explain your life choices to everyone who wishes to pass opinion. Far easier to give an answer that people accept, and in this case it’s child free.

Yeah, there are a hell of a lot smug parents going around, truly awful . I have never met a smug child-free couple.