19 People Who Hated Kids Share Why They Decided To Become Parents

    There isn't always a straight line to becoming a mom or dad.

    Mike Spohr
    by Mike Spohr

    BuzzFeed Staff

    We recently asked the members of BuzzFeed Community to share why they changed their minds about having kids:

    1. "I hated kids, hated everything about them..."

    United Artists

    "Kids were messy, loud, and needy. I never wanted one. Plus, I was sure that I'd be a horrible parent.

    Once I got out of high school I started helping a friend babysit. At first I didn't like it, but eventually I wound up caring for this one-year-old boy. He was adorable, so sweet, and smart. He was like a mini best friend who loved me unconditionally. After that, I knew I had to be a parent.

    I now have two amazing babies and wouldn't trade them for anything."

    — alysondaniellec

    2. "My mom knew I was never having a kid."

    "My mom always joked that my dogs were her grandchildren because she knew I was never having a kid. The day my mom died I had an overwhelming feeling that I should be a mom because she couldn't anymore. Now that I have a daughter, I often find myself wishing I could call my mom to ask for parenting advice."

    — PettyBage

    3. "...and all throughout it I never wanted kids."

    Paramount

    "I was in a long-term relationship and all throughout it I never wanted kids. One day I realized it was because I was in a relationship with a child. He played video games for hours every day, was unemployed for months, and I even had to remind him to brush his teeth.

    After ending that relationship, I fell in love with a MAN. He had his stuff together and did not rely on anyone but himself. I found that incredibly attractive. I am due any day now with our first child. It was a decision we both made as adults and it all makes sense to us."

    — kittenkay23

    4. "It was because of the cat."

    "The cat died. We were sad."

    — snoball2

    5. "People had given up on us. "

    VH1

    "I'm expecting my first right now after seven years of marriage. People had given up on us. For us, it was about maturity and timing. We spent our twenties doing what we wanted, traveling, spending lots of time with friends, and buying our first house.

    Finally, when I was 29 and he was 30, we felt our life was ready. The desire grew slowly, and other people's kids don't really interest me, but I wanted to create a family with the man I love. It took time to get pregnant, so the desire grew more. Now I can wait to meet our little one in December!"

    — Mcfly7719

    6. "I didn't want children..."

    "I didn't want children and felt very sure of that decision until I became very sick in my late twenties. I entered perimenopause — and had numerous other issues — and was told that getting pregnant was probably not an option for me. The other health issues I dealt with made me realize that I am a strong person who has a lot to pass on to another person, and I made the decision that I did want to be a parent.

    My special guy was born on 10-10-10 and now I'm expecting number two!"

    — tiffanyt430b081c7

    7. "Kids are sticky and smelly."

    Flickr: jbird / Via Creative Commons

    "I never wanted kids. I hated kids. They are sticky and smell like maple syrup even when no pancakes have been served. But one day, I looked at my husband and realized that there should be more people like him in the world."

    — Thisissterling

    8. "Looking back, I wouldn't change a thing."

    "It just happened. I met the right girl, she became pregnant, and the only reasons not to have the child were selfish ones not good enough to deny this person a life. We made changes, grew up, and sacrificed, but looking back I wouldn't change a thing. Having this little person who I'm responsible for put things in perspective. It wasn't about what I did in life, it was about what I could do to help her achieve the goals she'll have."

    — Kevin Averill, Facebook

    9. "I changed my mind out of nowhere."

    Flickr: 124588601@N06 / Via Creative Commons

    "I literally changed my mind one day out of nowhere. I saw a cute little girl at the park and thought, 'Wow, it might be cool to have one of those.'"

    — Danielle Fala Regan, Facebook

    10. "I didn't want kids until I was told I was infertile."

    "I didn't want kids until I was told I was infertile. Now I have four (the doctors were wrong)."

    — tonii

    11. "I didn't want to turn into THAT mom."

    Similac / youtube.com

    "I didn't want to be the mom that all of my friends turned into: fat, no dignity in how they looked, always making self-righteous posts about how bad other mothers were. They all seemed to have turned into these brainless, mean housewives with no identity.

    But then I found out that a woman I really admired had kids. She was confident, kind, and always had interesting points of view. It made me realize that those other moms weren't who I HAD to be if I got pregnant. My son is now 14-months-old, and while I sometimes do leave the house with unwashed hair and my husband's T-shirt, I am the person that I want to be."

    — Emmay Friedenson, Facebook

    12. "Happily ever after did occur, eventually."

    "I didn't really want kids in the beginning of my marriage. And then I got pregnant while using multiple types of birth control. However, the little fetus died while inside me. I had to surgery to remove it.

    My husband and I were heartbroken. We knew we had to continue on and try to have a baby of our own. Two miscarriages occurred after the surgery, which made the whole situation terribly worse. I began to think we would never have our happily ever after. But now we have our gigantic, off the charts 14-month old-son and we love him beyond anything else."

    — cordeliaab

    13. "My husband and I agreed — no on kids."

    BBC

    "When my husband and I were dating we both decided we didn't want children, but a few months after we were married, I was diagnosed with cervical cancer. My doctor recommended a hysterectomy and told us that if we wanted children we needed to decide ASAP. We discussed it and decided to go for it. It took us a year and half, but we are now parents to a beautiful 17-month-old boy…and the cancer hasn't returned."

    — melanieh4d6281026

    14. "I wanted some mini-mes."

    "I decided I wanted a squad of mini mes and animals following me around everywhere."

    — hayleymay420

    15. "I'd decided to get my tubes tied..."

    New Line Cinema

    "When my husband and I were newlyweds I told him children were a no-no and that I'd decided to get my tubes tied. He suggested I reconsider as I may want children down the line. Boy, was he right! 
We're both the eldest of our siblings and had to help raise our siblings, so I though there was no way I'd want my own later. Still I waited.

     

    Now, after 19 years of marriage we've taken the plunge and are caring for our sweet little baby Alice."

    — hannahb406b3c066

    16. "The path you start in life isn't always the one you end up on."

    "My husband-to-be and I dated for five years before getting married, and the whole time I was clear I didn't want kids, and he was sure that he did. After many, many conversations about it he was still sure that I'd change my mind some day. I could see, as much as I didn't want them, that it broke his heart to think about a life without kids. I also started to wonder if I'd regret not having kids when it was too late. Add a dash of social pressure, and poking from my mother and mother-in-law, and I was swayed, slightly. I agreed to go off the pill and put it in fate's hands. A month later I was pregnant.

     

    That was four years ago, and I do love my son. It has been an amazing journey to watch him soak up the world around him and develop into his own individual self. However, I still pine for our former simple life of adventures and spontaneity, when we could stay up late, sleep in late, and decide to take last minute road trips just because.

     

    The path you start in life isn't always the one you end up on. And like I said, I sometimes wish for the old path, but know that one didn't lead to where I am today, and I love where I am. There may be tantrums and diapers, but there are also the best toddler hugs and smiles."

    17. "I knew then I wanted to be a mom someday."

    Flickr: abardwell / Via Creative Commons

    "What made me change my mind was my niece. When she was born, I felt an immense love I had never felt before. I knew then I wanted to be a mom someday. When my daughter was born, the love was multiplied by a million."

    — Kate Miller, Facebook

    18. "I wasn't ready..."

    Flickr: saumag / Via Creative Commons

    "I'm 34 and pregnant with my first. I think it had to do with growing up myself, reaching education/career goals first, and marrying my best friend. I now think my being opposed to having children was my subconscious way of saying I wasn't ready."

    — kristino470292c95

    19. "My maternal instincts may have been buried further than other people's, but they were there."

    "I never wanted kids. When all my friends were playing with baby dolls, I was daydreaming about being on Broadway. Motherhood just didn't seem to be a desire that was wired in me. When my husband and I found out that we were expecting a surprise baby, we were shocked.

    After my daughter was born, I had a really rough time bonding with her. But the more I exercised my own agency as a mother, and spent time pouring into her, the more I grew in love with her. I learned that my maternal instincts may have been buried down further than other people's, but they were still there."

    — Mazebright

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