The official Childfree on MN bingo card

[ItsNotRocketSalad]

We have 24 squares to fill. What lines get trotted out on every thread that discusses the child free?

My suggestions:

1. You'll need my children to be your carers when you're old
2. Only parents understand real love
3. Childfree people shouldn't take annual leave in school holidays

Oddly unpleasant thread on a parenting site 🤷🏻‍♀️

Your life is in black and white until you have children

what if your parents had decided to be childfree

You won’t know joy until you have children

Your husband will leave you and then what

You’re not a real woman until you have children

It’s people like you who SHOULD be having children

What if you regret it

You’ll die alone

What will you do with your money when you die

What do you and your husband even talk about

Why bother getting married if you’re not having children

You’ll change your mind

I felt that way until I met the right man

I was childfree but I had children and I’m so glad I did

I was adamantly childfree but accidentally fell pregnant and I’m so happy now, I had no idea what I was missing

You don’t understand

You don’t know what tired is

You don’t know what busy is

Yes! I forgot that one often used on any thread where the op is being asked to babysit/find something for a relatives child etc! Similarly ‘why are you on MUMSnet if you’re not a mum’ and ‘how did you even find MUMSnet’.

“My kids will be wiping your arse/paying your pension one day”.

I’d also suggest “I wasn’t talking about childless people, just the ones who’ve made the choice not to have kids.”

🍿

“You don’t know tiredness until you have kids”.

"You're not a proper adult if you don't have children"

"The human race would die out if everyone thought like you"

This is my favourite. It doesn't matter if you're exhausted from nursing a dying parent or suffering from a chronic pain-filled illness that keeps you awake at night, it is NOTHING compared to the tiredness of having children.

I find it oddly unpleasant to be told I don't know what real love is, and that I shouldn't be on what has grown to be much more than just a parenting site.

I don't understand people who don't want children. They bring such joy. But I think it's it's downright odd and weird to actively hate them

Do you typically find it so confusing that people are individuals and have different personalities and preferences in life?

I find it utterly baffling when people can’t understand the simple fact that everyone is different.

Who here is actively hating them? If they "bring such joy" universally, how is it they are so often abused, mistreated, ignored, abandoned, and murdered?

I love to see a dear little baby or toddler or the genuine smile of a child or teen - in passing. They do not bring me joy, they give me a headache after a short time.

"You'll change your mind."
"When you hear your body clock ticking you'll change your tune".

I did change my mind and regretted it. I have a lovely teenager now but you can have the baby/toddler and Primary age girl back thank you.

I think it is downright odd that people are unable to understand that everyone is different with different dreams, ambitions, needs and hopes.

Reverse bingo - everyone someone has to say "this is the children forum".

CHILDFREE forum, god damn you early morning autocorrect.

Have to have the biggest square for You'll change your mind when you're older and my personal favourite It's different when they're your own.

Childless women don't make good MPs because Nicola Sturgeon / inheritance tax / they're all nasty like the sister I despise.

I don't understand obsessively broody women who feel that life is incomplete if they haven't popped a baby out.

There is far more to life than bringing up the next generation. Life can be fulfilling in many other ways.

Whereas mother-of-two Margaret Thatcher was an absolute blessing. 🙄

I do have kids, but not until my 40s so have heard a lot of these too.
I think the only one that had any truth to it was 'you don't know what stress is'. It is true FOR ME, that I had never experienced such stress, or anger as a matter of fact, until I became a parent.
But the rest are pretty much ridiculous and I don't understand why people say them? To justify their own decision?

'You'll change your mind when the right man comes along.'

'But you'd make a lovely mother.'

'You'll die alone.' Yup, have been told that by someone who took my childfree status as a personal insult.

I don't understand people who don't want children. They bring such joy

They bring such joy to you, and I'm pleased that you find that. I was raised by two women who didn't appear to feel the same way and appeared at times to actively dislike us.

My kids haven't brought joy really, if we are looking at overall ratios
Looking at funding the oldest for another few months because even at 26 they can't manage with life.