Do you want kids?

[-bogart-]

As a mother of 8 (blended family) I would say yup! :lol-sign:


BUt seriously when I was younger it was HELLLLLLLLLL NOOOOOO!!!

Then I got pregnant in high school and my whole life changed. That tine in my life was a roller coaster but I wold not change it for the world.

I am in the camp of parenthood rocks for me , BUT I do know some people who would make horrid parents and I feel sorry for the kids to have such douchcanoes as parents.

 

[BostonBanker]

No kids for me; time and relationships (or the lack thereof) aren't making it an option anyway. I'm also not financially comfortable enough to be willing to bring a kid into the picture. It was never anything I really wanted anyway, although I would have considered it in the right relationship.

 

[Dogdragoness]

Nope. Have said since I was 12/13 that I never wanted them. I'm 26 now, have been married for almost 2yrs. (we've been together for 9yrs.) and that hasn't changed.

I have like.. zero maternal instincts toward children. You know how most women flip out over a baby if they see it in public? Yeah no. I want to be as far away as possible.

Same here, a lot of our friends and people we know are getting pregnant and having kids, that's ok, I am happy for them ... I really am because its what THEY want to do with their lives.

I have no qualms with people who want kids having them. What I HATE is people telling me "oh you are every motherly!" or "give it time, you will want them!" People seem to think that as soon as you get into a relationship, then you should commence with the baby-making ... esp if you are a woman. :wall: I also have no maternal instincts and when I see a child in public, I am also another one of those people who want to be as far away as possible ... esp if its screaming and crying ... hey THEY wanted it ... just keep it away from me. xD

 

[TuffStuff]

I absolutely love children, infants included, and I'm great with them. But I don't want any of my own for various reasons.

 

[~Dixie's_Mom~]

Yes, I definitely want kids someday. Preferably two, maybe three.

 

[Laurelin]

Kind of? But really I don't think about it much. I'm like.... chronically single and really likely infertile. So...

I like kids though a lot. Until they get to around middle school.

 

[Shai]

I absolutely love children, infants included, and I'm great with them. But I don't want any of my own for various reasons.

^Yup. Also I really like being an aunt. It's like skipping straight to grandparenthood.

ETA: Well, technically it's more that I choose not to have any of my own for various reasons. Reasons that I don't see changing in time for me to have kids, biologically speaking. Same end effect, though

 

[Elrohwen]

Mostly yes. I know that we both want it to happen "eventually", but eventually is sneaking up on us. We've been married almost 5 years and I'll be 30 next month, so we have to start seriously considering it instead of saying "well, maybe in 5 years". We've tentatively agreed to start trying in 2 years.

I don't particularly like babies, though children are pretty fun. For me it's more the fear of such a big change in lifestyle. I love the life we have now and I have a good amount of down time to do what I want. I'm not looking forward to losing that, but I'm hoping the love I have for my child more than makes up for it. I can't see myself having more than one. I also don't think either of us would be devastated to learn that we couldn't have children either.

 

[sassafras]

^Yup. Also I really like being an aunt. It's like skipping straight to grandparenthood.

Yes, so much. I love being the fun and slightly eccentric aunt that sends everyone home at the end of the day. I have a great niece now and a second great niece/nephew on the way so it's time for round 2.

 

[TuffStuff]

^Yup. Also I really like being an aunt. It's like skipping straight to grandparenthood.

Six nieces, and I'm the coolest aunt ever. lol Well, the kids think so. Maybe not the parents... :red_bandana:

 

[Laurelin]

I have two nieces and I adore them. Luckily they come over a lot. They are so much fun!

 

[Tortilla]

Not particularly, I'm kind of in the 'maybe' camp. If I was with someone who really wanted them, I might .. but independently, I don't really want them. And it would certainly depend on my finances and situation later on, too. I'm 22 now, and if it were to happen, I definitely cannot see it happening in the next ten years. There's still SO much stuff that I want to do. I'm all about graduating, travelling as much as possible and landing a great job. Not saying that you can't do those with kids, but for me I think it'd certainly be easier and more enjoyable on my own.

I don't really like kids but do like the ones I'm related to .. mostly. I have two little brothers (6 and 8) and I absolutely adore them and spoil them. But at the end of the day, I can still do my own thing and they aren't my responsibility.

 

[PWCorgi]

No. No. Nopety, no. Ever.

 

[JacksonsMom]

I think that's called adoption lol.

At this point in my life, no, I think I'm to old now (38) to have a baby, I would adopt an older sibling pair though, like 3-6 years old.we have discussed it, but I haven't pursued if further. I'm really enjoying the dogs and I know kids would be an end to that.

My mom had my sister at 42. Wasn't her easiest pregnancy tho! But wasn't *terrible*.

 

[AdrianneIsabel]

Yes, I think I would be okay without a kid but I also would like to have kids. The cost terrifies me lately, though.

 

[eddieq]

I have 2 girls. One is 18 the other is 13. We are preparing to bring the older one back to college for her spring semester today. There are days when I'd say "no, I don't want kids" but that's part of being human and a parent. They are the joy in my life and the pain in my ass.

I completely understand those who say they never want kids. It's terrifying, expensive and not an easy thing to do. And that's if you are inclined to be a parent. I can't imagine trying to force myself to enjoy the experience.

And when it gets overwhelming and I need a break, Xena gets to enjoy a long walk

 

[AllieMackie]

Count me in the firm likely category.

As long as time and circumstance allow, my current partner would be an excellent parenting partner. That was a huge factor in the change of decision for me from no-kids to likely-kids.

 

[RottenFlower]

Yes, I think I would be okay without a kid but I also would like to have kids. The cost terrifies me lately, though.

Precisely this.

I'm almost 34, though, and I think it's getting to be a now-or-never issue over here. Plus, I have too many dogs & cats to have a kid.

This started off with me not wanting kids at all, and it was like once I hit 30, something in me went, "okay... this is something you should think about all of the time."

I am super conflicted, though. I have a nephew, and friends with kids, and I think I'm okay just loving them a lot. I don't know if I can be selfless enough to love a kid like I should. I'm also lazy and poor, and I enjoy quiet free time a lot.

 

[Dekka]

I have one already But, I'm good with just one. I'm sure my husband would love a second, but I am good with one

I will say that I'm not a "kid person" in general. Babies are cute, but I have no desire to hold other kids and I'm not very comfortable around other people's kids in general. I adore my own child, but my maternal instincts end there.

This is me!

I never wanted kids, I had been saying that since I was 5 or 6. I never played with dolls etc.

But wait, those of you who know me say, you have a kid, isn't he like 13?

Yes and yes! It was a 'surprise'. I lucked out he is great. Oh there are moments of not so great, he IS just entering those teen years. But over all I am pretty proud of the person he is becoming and genuinely like him. I mean of course I love him, he is my child, but discovering I like the person he is becoming is wonderful.

I was terrified when I found out I was pregnant, as having kids had never been part of my life plan, but in the end it worked out quite well.

The average age of first time mom's at my OB's office is 37. If you really wanted it, it's not too late. It is unheard of around DC to have a child before 31-32 (I'm a freak of nature at 28), and extremely common to have them in your 40's. The fertility decline at 35 is pretty overexaggerated and minimal, and the risk of birth defects is still only around 1%.

That being said, if you don't want it, don't do it

My parents had me in their mid 20's and then had my brother 10.5 years later. There ARE some harder things about being an older parent. Yes you are typically more stable financially, however my dad (who is in great shape for his age) commented how often he got mistaken for a grandparent. And going out to play sports etc with his son was so much more difficult physically then playing with is daughter.

 

[Dekka]

Count me in the firm likely category.

As long as time and circumstance allow, my current partner would be an excellent parenting partner. That was a huge factor in the change of decision for me from no-kids to likely-kids.

wooo! that is exciting