Not too long ago, I wrote up responses to a viral Reddit thread that asked people to share their reasons for not wanting to have children. It inspired even more responses from the BuzzFeed Community, so here are even more (completely valid) reasons that people never want to have kids:
1. "I honestly don’t like the type of world we live in. Yes, there are good people in this world, but there is a lot of bad, and no matter what, you can’t protect your children from everything. So I wouldn’t want to bring a child into this world because it’s not ideal."
2. "I’m scared of losing myself if I have kids. I’ve seen so many people’s identities become about their kids 100%. Like, every waking moment becomes about the children in some way. I don’t want that to be my life. I’m also afraid that as a woman, especially one who has worked with kids for the last four years, I’ll be forced to do the bulk of the work that comes with raising a child."
3. "I've never really wanted kids, but nowadays, a big factor is also the climate crisis. I would be absolutely terrified of what kind of future any kid could have in this world. It seems cruel to bring them here if I don't know what kind of planet they'll be left with."
4. "Sometimes I think to myself, My parents decided to have kids, and now I have anxiety, depression, and bills."
5. "My big wake-up call happened when I realized that I was jealous of pregnant women/new moms for all the attention they were getting, not for the actual baby. I learned a lot about myself in that moment."
6. "I used to want kids, but then I realized I was excited to have someone who would look up to me and share my interests. I didn't want a child, I wanted to be a mentor."
7. "I've always been grossed out by pregnancy. It freaks me out so much. I already have body image issues; I don't need to add the whole pregnancy trauma to that."
8. "It's already difficult to earn for one person. Everything is expensive. Houses, clothes, food, etc. Now, imagine the added burden of another person. We can barely earn for ourselves, and it would be selfish to bring another life into the world under those circumstances. What if you’re not able to provide for your kid?"
9. "I don’t think I’d be a good parent. I don’t think badly of myself, I just don’t think I’m cut out for it."
10. "Honestly, whenever I see someone with children, their life just looks miserable to me. I’m not saying their life is actually miserable, but I just know it probably isn’t for me. My biggest nightmare would be ending up in a marriage that loses its spark, and having to put all of my energy into a child."
11. "I’m a teacher and I used to think I wanted a lot of kids, and that number slowly dwindled until I no longer do. I teach 15 kids, and I'm with them more than they're with their parents, and I love them. I now realize I love going home to a quiet house with my books, plants, animals, sitting down to have tea, and watching Netflix. Being a parent is a gift, but it isn’t the only thing that makes a life worthy."
12. "I don't want to have my own child (give birth to one) because at some point in my life, if I do want kids, I'd rather adopt. There are millions of kids without any parents at all, and after orphanages or foster homes, they have to fend for themselves completely with no connections or experience of how life is outside that environment."
13. "The number of ways parents can screw up their kids really bothers me. It's better not to have a kid than to have one and not be able to or want to care for them."
14. "The only reason I WOULD ever want to have kids is to have someone there to take care of me when I'm old. Not sure if that's a good-enough reason."
15. "I'm already having the best of both worlds. I love going on adventures and fun outings with my nephews, niece, and godsons...and then dropping them off with their parents and enjoying the peace, quiet, and freedom in my own home."
16. "I'm not a responsible person. I tend to spend a bit recklessly, and I'm finding it difficult enough to prepare for my own future. How the hell can I prepare for a whole other person's future?"
17. And finally, "I have so many reasons not to want children, but I don't need to justify my life decisions to others. I don't want kids, period. A person you have to convince to be a parent won't be a good parent."
