Having children is a desire and expectation for a lot of people — but not everyone.
Reddit user u/antidelusional24 recently asked, "Do you want kids? Why or why not?" Here are some of the things people said.
1. "Yep, I have a little girl on the way and super excited!"
—u/FatBstad
2. "I do cause I’m good with kids, and they say nice things. Also, they are funny af."
—u/ClumsyRalp
3. "Nah, man. I don’t have the patience, I’m not emotionally available enough, I’m selfish, and I’m an asshole.
—u/Husbandaru
4. "Physically, mentally, and financially not ready for that and probably ever will be."
5. "I do. Either through adoption or naturally, I want kids."
—u/toastarclan
6. "I love kids so much, but I absolutely could not afford them with my 50K salary. I can barely afford my own life."
7. "I've gone back and forth on the idea since I was younger. I'm almost 40, can barely care for myself financially, and haven't been with anyone since my early 20s. It doesn't matter if I want them or not. It's just never going to happen."
8. "I already have them. The first one wasn't really a choice, but I'll be honest… despite all the pain, the love more than makes it up."
9. "I flip back and forward between yes and no. I think I'd enjoy being a mother, but I also think I'd be doing them a disservice bringing them into such a fucked up world."
10. "No. Because I have a developmental disability and have a hard enough time just caring for myself."
11. "Not even a little bit. I have never experienced baby fever. I never saw a newborn and said, 'Aww, so cute. I can't wait to have one of my own!' Or anything like that. I much prefer my lifestyle as it is, and I don't need to go through the physical/mental/emotional stress of pregnancy and then raise a child for the rest of my life. With the state of the world how it is, I wouldn't want to bring a child into it only to see them struggle and suffer. It's so easy to promise a bright future, but to actually fulfill that promise is incredibly difficult."
—u/Grimmyra
12. "I used to want to have kids, and a small part of me still does — maybe with the right girl. But it kind of seems a lot of important things around the world are going downhill. I know there's some bias in there because, technically, we are the most advanced we have ever been, in longevity, comfort, etc. But I've had a doomsday feeling for the past two years, and it seems to not go away for now. Feels like a bad idea to bring a kid into that."
—u/ANoNameMoose
13. "Yes. I agree with most of this comment section about the world being shit. So to that end, I think introducing 1 or 2 decent, well-taught people to it should help."
14. "Nope. I'm happy being the 'rich aunt' in the family."
15. "I do. One of my most looked forward things is being a parent. For me, family is the most important thing in life."
16. "I am a dog person."
17. "I don't want to give up my independence. I enjoy having a sex life. I don't want to share my SO. I don't want to spend my money or time on kids. I like sleeping through the night. My house is quiet, clean, and organized. I prefer that it stays this way. I prefer relationships with other adults. The lifestyle accompanying having children does not appeal to me in any way, shape, or form. Many people think my life is boring, but I assure you it is definitely not. I have hobbies and interests that many people can't afford or don't have time to do because they have kids. I get to enjoy regular outings and date nights with my amazing boyfriend. I can work jobs that pay less, but I enjoy doing them, and they are fulfilling because I don't stress about paying for other people. In other words, I am extremely happy with my life without kids."
18. "I would love to have children someday. My biggest issue is that I want to get mentally stable enough before I do that. I want to be a good dad, which means lots of working on myself before being a parent becomes a real option for me. I look forward to caring for and loving my children as they grow up. They don't even exist yet, and I already love my hypothetical children."
19. "I'm too independent. I like that I can kind of do what I like whenever. I could decide to drive to the coast for the weekend, and it's pretty much as easy as getting in the car and going. If I decide to go stargazing at midnight and then get up at midday the next day, I don't have to arrange anything. I just can't see myself giving that up."
—u/Jpw119
20. "Being a parent is my biggest dream. I have a huge paternal instinct I want to fulfill. The idea of having a little child and watching them grow up into an adult with all the love they deserve feels just right."
21. "No. I'll be telling them tonight when I get home."
22. "I definitely want them, if I am able. In my opinion, there is no job more fulfilling and rewarding than being a parent. Coming from a nanny— I know it's not quite the same, but it makes me hopeful and look forward to the future with my own children."
23. "No, Because I genuinely would not be happy with kids. I strongly believe that all kids deserve to be wanted, but not all people deserve to be parents."
—u/AliciaFPenn
Where do you stand when it comes to having kids? Share that and the reason in the comments below.
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.