Best part of being childfree

[Mintgum]

Whats the best part of being childfree.
I chose not to have children knew from an early age i never wanted them.
But i have been ask why not whats so good not having them my reply was whats good with having them.
I like my life i like doing what i like i love my freedom.
I have no intrerest in schools finger painting teen dramas i also like sleep.
I dont have the stomach to be around them when they are eating either.
My sister didnt like my reply.
And told me im missing out on what love really feels like.
I replied with.
I'm really not missing out on anything.
You're the one that had kids in your late 40s and all you want is help.
And now im in the doghouse because i was rude.
My family all know dont ask me to baby sit because it won't happen.

Tell that to my sister, who had migraines complete with vomiting throughout her childhood.

Oh what a coincidence!!!

and definitely a massive benefit to not having a child. No fear of a random incredibly unlikely migraine disorder. Thank the lucky stars!!

Kudos to all parents because parenting looks relentless tiring and at times very boring

honestly I have one and I’ve found it nothing but a joy. Grew up never wanting one. Didn’t until 39. She’s lying next to me in bed and it’s joyful. She won’t get me up until way after 9 so not tiring. We watched a film together tonight. Totally get not wanting one, because I didn’t, but it’s fucking amazing

Why are there so many parents in the section for Mumsnetters without children just to be nasty to people who are childless, childfree or childfree by circumstance and try and start arguments or tell us we are wrong? I hope you’re all raising your children to be more open minded and empathetic than you are or who knows what the state of the world will be in 50 years time.

It's not a 'coincidence' - it's one reason I mentioned it. I suffer from migraines too, although mine didn't start till puberty, and so does my mum and her mum before her; so it's reasonable to assume a hereditary element and therefore, it wouldn't have been unlikely at all if I'd had children.

I see colleagues (both men and women) struggle with the juggle. It’s something hard to watch colleagues struggle to keep everyone happy and themselves sane.

i work in a senior role that often has long hours at short notice, breakfast events, weekend calls and travel.

i don’t think I could do my job if I had children - unless their father was part time or a stay at home parent.

@Squarecentimetre absolutely being child free is not wrong. As I said I thought I was destined to be. Just positing that fear of a random migraine disorder isn’t an amazing reason to make a decision on

It’s not what made the decision, it’s a benefit that the poster has as a result of making a decision to be childfree.

@Bellyblueboy seriously? I work a very senior role in a very high profile company where my CEO and MD are mothers’ too. As are most women in senior roles, not all obviously. Are you saying you wanted children and didn’t because of your job.???

and what do the men in your company do?

It’s not what made the decision, it’s a benefit that the poster has as a result of making a decision to be childfree.

haha. Absolutely. A benefit of not having a child is not having a tiny chance of a migraine disorder which may occasionally make a child sick. Power to the people!

Well surely it is a benefit? What makes it not a benefit?

Wondergoldenlight why are you being so irritating and prickly?

It has nothing to do with you - the reasons or benefits women are not having kids. Doesn't matter if you think they're minor no one cares about your opinion. Surely you have better things to do than bash childfree women on this thread?

If you don't want children, the 'functionality' of the womb is a moot question.

For those who want them but can't have them - your comment is very cruel and insensitive.

You asked for one benefit. You were pretty insistent that the potential of not having a child with the risk of a migraine disorder was reason for not having one. I could call that insensitive. Maybe your mum would have thought that as she had a child with one.

No, I wasn't 'insistent' - I mentioned it as a benefit, not a reason; you are the one who keeps trying to come up with 'gotcha' arguments.

It seems obvious that potentially saddling a notional child with hereditary disorders isn't going to be anyone's ideal situation, but if you want children, depending on the severity of the condition, I suppose you would accept the risk.

If you don't want children, it's a benefit that you don't have to cope with the consequences of their illnesses, hereditary or otherwise.

Op, I've not read any replies yet. But I agree with all you've said. I have 3 dc, it's a slog, it's endless, it's relentless with very little in return. You might love them (more than you can put into words) but that love comes with a MASSIVE draw back to your own life, it's detrimental, and too many parents won't admit that. You do you op, keep living your carefree, child free life and enjoy it.

Why are YOU so bothered about what someone else feels about poo? People can have whatever reasons they want but you seem a little obsessed by this.
People like to come to this forum to tell women how we are wrong for our feelings. Please stop

I adore my nieces and nephews and love spending time with them. I enjoy watching them grow, learn new things and become their own person. I do not dislike children, I just don’t want any of my own.

There are so many aspects of being a parent that do not appeal to me and I’ve given the prospect serious thought, much more than a lot of people who are parents. I’ve spoken to parents who had kids ‘because that’s what you do’ and others who thought little past the point of having a baby, they’d never considered what it was like having a child/teenager. I know one person who said given their time again they wouldn’t have had children as, although they love their kids, it wasn’t the life they really wanted. I’ve seen the stress and discord children can cause in previously happy relationships, the challenges of having children with additional needs, navigating tricky grandparent relationships and the impact of substandard parenting.

I suspect sometimes parents who disparage those who are child free do so because they feel their life choice is a personal rejection on the life they have chosen with children. That and possibly some level of resentment towards the person with the freedom not having children affords. Not that they’d admit it.

My family unit is me and DH and we have more than enough love in our lives. We have freedom in so many ways that you don’t when you have a child.

Your sister was being unfair but you were unnecessarily rude.

Same here, and it's because of one simple fact -

I don't like children and don't want to spend any time with them, regardless of whether they are family or not.

Also have a child and I couldn't agree with this more. It's the thing I hate most about parenting.

Reflux absolutely lasts more than 6 months!! And if you have more than one child with it, then it’s years of dealing with vomit.

I like that I only have to worry about myself (and my cats who are sometimes like toddlers).

Yes it is. I’m exactly the same. Horrifying 🤣