Cheerfully child-free. Anyone else?

[maddhatir]

And I'd just have to avoid you at a party because I love my furbabies I don't call them that but they are a huge part of our life. We have dogs that we are training and it's a big part of our everyday lives and a lot of our choices revolve around both our dogs and cats. I don't mind you talking about your family - i.e. kids just don't be upset when I talk about mine - fur or not.

I would rather hear about and see pics of your kitties than hear about and see pics of peoples kiddies!

 

[plgrn]

I have a pin that says, "Future Old Lady With Lots of Cats"!

I must have one of these!!! Did you get it on Ebay??

We have 3 cats, but if DH had anything to do with it we'd have NONE. I told him when I'm old and widowed I will have a house full of cats and all the neighborhood kids will be afraid to come near my home because it smells funny.

 

[goofygirl]

So, I can see that for some, being child-free looks good on paper, but a lot of times, we mature and change our minds

You know, if said the same phrase- i.e. "Dreaming about becoming a parent looks good on paper, but a lot of times we mature and change our minds..." about parents on a parenting thread, I'd be flamed to death.

 

[goofygirl]

Then, after graduating nursing school a couple years later,I got unexpectedly pregnant

As a nurse, you should have known better than most about how to prevent an unplanned pregnancy.

 

[WDWguru]

We have 3 cats, but if DH had anything to do with it we'd have NONE. I told him when I'm old and widowed I will have a house full of cats and all the neighborhood kids will be afraid to come near my home because it smells funny.

OMG are we related?! Change the "3" to a "5" and I could've written that exact thing. Maybe we should move next door to each other and REALLY freak out the neighborhood kids! TWO crazy cat ladies?!

 

[Flyerfan]

Oh, yeah, and I won't talk to you about my kids if you will please, please, please not talk to me about your *gulp* furbabies. OMG that word makes me cringe! LOL! I do not want to hear about your cats, dogs, granddogs, or anything with fur! Nor do I want to see pics of your pets. LOL

Just wanted to comment. My childfree friends have cats and dogs and they do not talk about their "furry" children nearly as much as my other friend talks about her children. Not that I mind too much hearing about the kids, but my childfree friends and I have a lot of other things (hobbies, work, etc) to talk about.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

You know, if said the same phrase- i.e. "Dreaming about becoming a parent looks good on paper, but a lot of times we mature and change our minds..." about parents on a parenting thread, I'd be flamed to death.

You are totally right. Why don't one of us go over to the Trying to Conceive thread and say that being child-free was the best decision we've ever made and you may want to consider it, and see what happens.

 

[barbeml]

You know, if said the same phrase- i.e. "Dreaming about becoming a parent looks good on paper, but a lot of times we mature and change our minds..." about parents on a parenting thread, I'd be flamed to death.

Isn't that the truth.

 

[maddhatir]

You know, if said the same phrase- i.e. "Dreaming about becoming a parent looks good on paper, but a lot of times we mature and change our minds..." about parents on a parenting thread, I'd be flamed to death.

true- I thought this was a CHILD FREE thread.

I MOST CERTAINLY never just drop in on the family thread.

Not to be rude- but I really dont care to here about how some people THOUGHT child-free is what they wanted, but them OOOOPS I changed my mind......so that means you are no longer CHILD FREE

and another comment,again, not to be rude- but IMO I would think that people that can not conceive would not be on this thread because it is titled.......CHEERFULLY CHILD FREE!

 

[bicker]

Unless they were specifically looking for guidance in how to be cheerfully child-free.

 

[MELSMICE]

true- I thought this was a CHILD FREE thread.

I MOST CERTAINLY never just drop in on the family thread.

Not to be rude- but I really dont care to here about how some people THOUGHT child-free is what they wanted, but them OOOOPS I changed my mind......so that means you are no longer CHILD FREE

and another comment,again, not to be rude- but IMO I would think that people that can not conceive would not be on this thread because it is titled.......CHEERFULLY CHILD FREE!

Not to be rude - but I didn't think there were rules as to what threads anyone could or couldn't post on.

With the exception of one poster way back at the beginning of this thread, I don't think anyone with children has been rude or out of line in their postings - just posting their own experiences. All people do like to talk about their lives & their own experiences.

If you read this posters comment it seems to me that she is referring to some of the posters on this thread that have had children even though they initially had chosen to be child-free.

So, I can see that for some, being child-free looks good on paper, but a lot of times, we mature and change our minds

It looks like for some it was because they changed their minds & for others it was because of failed birth control. For the people with the failed birth control they had many choices & were justing stating what they chose. I'm sure there are others that chose other options. I seriously don't think she was trying to change the minds of posters who adamantly don't want children.

You are totally right. Why don't one of us go over to the Trying to Conceive thread and say that being child-free was the best decision we've ever made and you may want to consider it, and see what happens

Like I said - with the exception of one poster, I really don't think anyone is trying to changes the minds of the child-free people, just posting their experiences.

I do find it funny though that I have seen many a post on many threads regarding children from some of you.

 

[maddhatir]

I do find it funny though that I have seen many a post on many threads regarding children from some of you.

I never said that people w/ kids come on here and are rude.

I will admit- I am one of those who posted on threads regarding kids, I post pics of my niece- who I love dearly- but love being child free MUCH MORE!~

And if I know people on some of the threads that I happen to be on and they post pics or comments about their kids- I will comment. Sure the kids are cute.

But I do not make an effort to actually take my mouse and click on the family thread to see whats up.

I am not going to argue with anyone about this. This is a CHEERFUL THREAD and I will not make it turn bad!

 

[RC Fan]

I do find it funny though that I have seen many a post on many threads regarding children from some of you.

Since I have had a considerable role in the raising of two kids, I consider myself somewhat qualified to give advice in some cases where posters have asked for advice. I guess I don't feel that I must have to have actually given birth to a child myself in order to give advice. I do know however that it is a common contention of some parents that you must be one yourself to have any clue about kids...well, I don't agree. Now if you asked me what going through labor is like, I could not tell you, nor do I have any desire at any point to know.

 

[Fitswimmer]

Since I have had a considerable role in the raising of two kids, I consider myself somewhat qualified to give advice in some cases where posters have asked for advice. I guess I don't feel that I must have to have actually given birth to a child myself in order to give advice. I do know however that it is a common contention of some parents that you must be one yourself to have any clue about kids...well, I don't agree.

My situation was very similar. When my godchild was born, her mother decided that being a parent wasn't anywhere near as much fun as drinking and doing drugs-so she took off. The rest of the family pitched in to help her husband raise the kids-an infant and a 3yr old boy. Since the baby was my godchild, I took a lot of responsibility on with her, so much so that she calls me on Mother's day now! (she's 20) Because of those years being so intimately involved in raising her, I do feel that I have experience to share. OK, so I didn't have her 24/7, 365-but I probably had her a good half of that time.

I've often thought that the reason I was not drawn to marriage or children of my own was because I was going to be needed elsewhere. If that was the reason, the woman she has turned out to be was worth it.

 

[goofygirl]

I don't really expect all parents to agree or get along with us (the CF) when they can't even get along with each other. I've seen many parenting threads turn ugly when its no CF people and ALL parents posting. Some memorable "wars" were about breastfeeding, circumcision and homeschooling. Sometimes I like to lurk on these threads, they kind of have a "trainwreck appeal" for me!

 

[goofygirl]

When my godchild was born, her mother decided that being a parent wasn't anywhere near as much fun as drinking and doing drugs-so she took off

Yep, proof that becoming a parent makes you mature. (NOT)!

 

[Planogirl]

Can those of us who support your decision not to have kids and adore cats drop in to this thread? Can we call ourselves Friends of the Child Free?

 

[goofygirl]

Can those of us who support your decision not to have kids and adore cats drop in to this thread? Can we call ourselves Friends of the Child Free?

Sure!

 

[KimR]

true- I thought this was a CHILD FREE thread.

I MOST CERTAINLY never just drop in on the family thread.

Not to be rude- but I really dont care to here about how some people THOUGHT child-free is what they wanted, but them OOOOPS I changed my mind......so that means you are no longer CHILD FREE

If you are referring to my post, I was answering a question that had been asked. I was a lurker on this thread because I have quite a few happily child-free friends. Sorry if I offended.

 

[RC Fan]

Can those of us who support your decision not to have kids and adore cats drop in to this thread? Can we call ourselves Friends of the Child Free?

Absolutely! Please do!