Do you feel being a parent limits the intellectual side of your personality?

[faithinkarma]

The fact that somebody gets angry when you call them stupid doesn't make your hypothesis correct. It also doesn't make them stupid.

Nope, but it sure says a lot about the giant intellect of the one who made that leap in logic.

 

[poohbears5]

Don't you have anything deeper to talk about other than what the lives of parents are like you seem pretty engrossed in what the lives of parents are like and basically I have never given your child free lifestyle a moments thought? It's like your jealous or defending your child free life hmmmmmm maybe .

 

[cinmell]

Originally posted by Chubroach
So does having children limit the intellectual development of people who have children?

NO!

 

[vandergriff4]

I still feel that the most intellectual and interesting people chose not to have children.

I'm sorry maybe I'm not intellectual enough to understand your statement, but to me it clearly sounds as though you are calling me stupid and uninteresting becasue I chose to have children.

 

[Bob Slydell]

Originally posted by Chubroach
I never said that being a parent is for stupid people, or makes you dumb. I said that the time a parent spends on their kids limits the time they can spend developing their intellectual side. Also that many parents only talk about their kids which makes their conversation dull.

I still feel that the most intellectual and interesting people chose not to have children.

And many people here still feel you're wrong.

I don't feel the need to put out my "resume" of intellect to you to prove it, either. I'm satisfied enough personally that I am an intellectual and interesting person without having to have that validated by someone like you.

 

[tidoublegger]

Obviously the choice to have children or not is a very personal decision. To state that childless people are more intellectual and interesting is such a broad generalization. Oh to see things so black and white....not a good thing!

 

[Sandy V.]

"I still feel that the most intellectual and interesting people chose not to have children."

I highly doubt that you really mean this statement. If you do . . .

And if you chose to have children, Chubroach, I am SURE that you would think that the opposite of this statement was true!!

Sure seems to me like you're trying really hard to justify your decision . . . why on earth would you need anyone's validation? Or have the need to put others down for their choices?

Is this "Judgmental People Coming out the Woodwork" month?

 

[huey duey & luey]

Originally posted by Chubroach
My wife and I do not have kids, nor have any interest in having any in the future.
I think that this is the most intelligent thing that you have written

 

[MHopkins2]

Originally posted by debster812
Goofygirl? Is that you?

Nope it's not her. Chubroach is an equal opportunity pot-stirrer; this thread just happens to be "child-free"ish.

 

[RitaZ.]

Goofygirl? Is that you?

 

[snoopy]

I still feel that the most intellectual and interesting people chose not to have children.

LOL! Is that your version of neerer neerer?

I see the world through entirely different eyes now than before I had children. It looks darker to me, more fraught with dangers, and I care so much more about its future than I ever did before. I look harder for hope and goodness in it, too. Having children has done that to me. It has changed and colored every encounter I have with the world in a more profound way than I could ever describe. I am not in any way the person I was before.

Sometimes I resent the change, and want her back: that pretty, smart, careless, young woman with no stretch marks on her belly. But most of the time I like who I've become. This older, wiser, more compassionate woman my children have helped form me into even as I have helped form them. She's a better person than my younger self, so much more evolved.

Perhaps intellectual and interesting is in the eye of the beholder?

 

[Pembo]

First, I haven't read everyone's responses but I'm surprised by the anger.

Do you feel being a parent limits the intellectual side fo your personality?

ABSOLUTELY! I think it does. I am the mother of 3 children under 8 and I only work part time. (6-10 hours a week). Yes I feel that my intellectual developement is limited. I spend almost all of my energy on my kids. That doesn't leave a lot of time for me and my interests.

I have noticed that in talking to other moms with young children that there isn't much to talk about other than "johnny did this, or janey has this problem". Having kids does take almost all of your energy, physically and emotionally. If your child has problems, it is even more so.

So Chub ~ I do agree with you. However, I have found that parents with older children have more to talk about. So in my very unofficial opinion, I think that when your kids are little, a parent tends to become obsessed and that as they grow older and more independent the parent is able to grow again.

That's my opinion..........

 

[vandergriff4]

By the way, do you know who Jessica Simpson is? She and her husband are childless and I think she is far from intellectual, but she may be interesting to talk to (just to see what stupid thing she will say next).

 

[CRB#33]

Originally posted by gymnasticsmom68
I think it's 'Miss'.

I think in his first post, he made a reference to him and his wife.

 

[Pam]

The only thing I have to say is that once again, by opening one of your posts, you have solidified my opinion that you are an ***.

 

[Hillbeans]

This thread is very upsetting. I really don't know why I bothered even posting in the first place, because I feel very taken advantage of now.

With the week i'm already having, this just is the icing on the cake. Thanks.

 

[kasar]

I still feel that the most intellectual and interesting people chose not to have children

Interesting to whom? Other people without children. Those of us who choose to have children find others with children to be MORE interesting. I have found my best friends through connections I've made because of my children. These people enrich my life and give me great joy with all kinds of conversations (sometimes about their children, sometimes not). I wouldn't trade these "boring" people for a more "intellectual" friend for anything. You can keep your high-fallutin' "unlimited" friends, I'll keep my flawed, imperfect, limited friends that I share great big belly laughs with. I'll keep the friends who make casseroles and watch my kids while my dad was sick. I'll keep the friends who stand out in the rain with 30 10-year olds to collect cans for a homeless shelter.

Have fun at your next cocktail party.

 

[CRB#33]

Originally posted by Chubroach
I still feel that the most intellectual and interesting people chose not to have children.

Oh! And what a horrible shame they won't pass on their superior, intellectual genes on to future pot stirrers who have such an awesome life that they come onto an IBB and share their intellectual, interesting thougths!

 

[believe]

Originally posted by Chubroach
I never said that being a parent is for stupid people, or makes you dumb. I said that the time a parent spends on their kids limits the time they can spend developing their intellectual side. Also that many parents only talk about their kids which makes their conversation dull.

I still feel that the most intellectual and interesting people chose not to have children.

Dull to whom? Just because you see it as dull does not mean someone else does. I find 'book smart' individuals dull.... mostly because they have no common sense.

I think you are mistaking dull for a difference of priorities. Even before I had children I could have cared less to read the newspaper or know about world events. Not because I'm not intellectual, but because they do not interest me and I don't need to be depressed by the world.

Honestly, I have learned more from my children than I would have learned on my own. My oldest daughter is often asking questions that we research to find the answer. Mostly on topics I typically would not have an interest in (science), but she forces me to expand my horizon and my intellectual side. I do not find that my children limits the time I spend on my intellectual side. If I had interest in something I will just involve my children to learn with me.

I read, but probably not on topics you would consider 'intellectual'. I would still read the same books even if I didn't have children.

If I am with a non-parent, I typically will not mention my children until they ask me about them.

 

[debster812]

Originally posted by MHopkins2
Nope it's not her. Chubroach is an equal opportunity pot-stirrer; this thread just happens to be "child-free"ish.

OK--sorry, jumped to the wrong conclusion. My be my lack of intellectualism.