You were a child once!

[Nella Fantasia]

While a lot of the bingos generally have a bit of sense to them, I've never been able to understand the "you were a child once!" bingo. What exactly does that mean? After watching a video regarding being childfree, I noticed a good portion of the comments from people were, "They forget that they were children once, too!" And all I can do is sit here, dumbfounded. What does that have to do with my decision to be childfree? I mean, I'm assuming people don't wake up in the morning going, "You know, I was a child once, therefore I should have one." (Or maybe they do. Who knows? I'm glad I don't try to be that deeply profound when I first wake up or there would be issues.)

Am I the only one who doesn't understand the reasoning behind this bingo? And if I am, can someone explain to me what one is thinking when they say that?

 

[127.0.0.1]

lol! My mom said that to me once. I told her I didn't want kids and she just said the whole, 'You were a kid once' and I was like, "Yeah, not too proud of it either."

 

[snoochface]

I don't get the reasoning either. I used the comparison in another thread that I used to drink and use drugs, but just because I used to be that way doesn't mean that now I want to spend my days hanging around with drunks and drug users.

We can't help that we used to be children once, it's kinda how things work. When I was a child, I had blond hair (it's brown now, should I dye it to blond since I was a blond once?), I wore diapers out of need (should I mess my pants since I was an incontinent once?), and I wanted to marry Big Bird (should I divorce my husband since I was an avian fettishist once?)

The beauty of growing up is that you figure out what you want from life based on a lifetime of experiences, and thank God you're not bound to a certain fate simply because you weren't hatched out of a pod in full adult form.

Trust me, if I could have avoided the whole childhood thing, I would have.

 

[LoisGriffin]

I also like:

What if your parents had felt that way.

What a stupid question and next person to say it to me will get - well it might do me a favour because I wouldn't be talking to you right now.

 

[snoochface]

What if your parents had felt that way, I just love that one.

Well, hm, my parents did think that way, that's why I don't want to repeat the mistake.

 

[mina]

i'm not childfree, but i don't understand that reasoning either. I actually don't understand why people are threatened or defensive about other's not wanting children. It's a personal choice and has nothing to do with the validity of anyone else's choices. People are just strange.

 

[Rembrandtfan]

I guess they automatically figure childfree=hates children, and they think "how can you hate children when you were a child once?"

And I figure that the more I understand what it was like for me as a child, and the dysfunctional patterns I grew up with, the more I realize it was the best decision I ever made not to have children. It's bad enough that I repeated some of it with my stepchildren, so I can imagine the emotional damage I would have done to my biological children. So to me, that just blows their theory out of the water.

 

[HeyHomie]

After watching a video regarding being childfree, I noticed a good portion of the comments from people were, "They forget that they were children once, too!"

Do you have a link to that video?

 

[Nella Fantasia]

Well, hm, my parents did think that way, that's why I don't want to repeat the mistake.

Exactly.

I guess they automatically figure childfree=hates children, and they think "how can you hate children when you were a child once?"

I think you're right. So has anyone ever received this bingo after making it clear that you like children?

I think the next time I hear it, I'm just going to ask them what exactly they mean by it.

Do you have a link to that video?

http://www.momversation.com/episodes/childfree-by-choice

It's mothers discussing their opinion on childfree people.

 

[127.0.0.1]

That video inspired me.

I've decided I'm going to have a baby.

 

[snoochface]

I've decided I'm going to have a baby.

Best kind to have

 

[127.0.0.1]

Best kind to have

No seriously. It was made for me. It even comes with drivers for 3dsmax.

Just need $1800 more dollars.

 

[Epoh99]

That is just ridiculous and everyone has great responses on here! I agree with you all (of course).

The fact that I was a child once I think plays a part in my being childfree. I was not your normal child but still had an awesome childhood. I was always very serious, concerned w/ doing the right thing, responsible, an overachiever, and consider myself as always being an "old soul." I had friends my own age but preferred people much older than myself. I cannot tolerate bad behavior from kids or teenagers or even young college students because I was never that way. My parents were great; my dad worked 9a-5p, my mom stayed home and homeschooled us.

There's no way I want to try to replicate that by having children of my own. I would expect way too much out of myself and any children.

Don't get me wrong, my childhood plays a VERY MINOR part in my not wanting children, but if people brought up "you were a child once" with me that's what I would tell them.

I hope this post makes sense. I have a bad cold and am having a hard time thinking.

 

[RobinRedbreast]

I was a child once? Of course I was... and I -remember- being a child, which is one reason I do NOT want kids NOW Oh I was a holy terror. And my mother was a lot like me, didn't want children (and ended up with one anyway) and I could always tell my entire life that she didn't have the same love for me that other parents had for their kids :\

It was hard, and I formed attachment issues, and today I can't even make any friends.

Yeah, I was a child once. And I keep that in mind when I say the words "no children".

 

[invisiblebabe]

The beauty of growing up is that you figure out what you want from life based on a lifetime of experiences, and thank God you're not bound to a certain fate simply because you weren't hatched out of a pod in full adult form.

Trust me, if I could have avoided the whole childhood thing, I would have.

Haha have you ever seen Kyle XY? That's what your post reminded me of.

 

[invisiblebabe]

That is just ridiculous and everyone has great responses on here! I agree with you all (of course).

The fact that I was a child once I think plays a part in my being childfree. I was not your normal child but still had an awesome childhood. I was always very serious, concerned w/ doing the right thing, responsible, an overachiever, and consider myself as always being an "old soul." I had friends my own age but preferred people much older than myself. I cannot tolerate bad behavior from kids or teenagers or even young college students because I was never that way. My parents were great; my dad worked 9a-5p, my mom stayed home and homeschooled us.

There's no way I want to try to replicate that by having children of my own. I would expect way too much out of myself and any children.

Don't get me wrong, my childhood plays a VERY MINOR part in my not wanting children, but if people brought up "you were a child once" with me that's what I would tell them.

I hope this post makes sense. I have a bad cold and am having a hard time thinking.

Ya I relate, I was similar as a kid.... also very creative and weird, to the point where most kids and most adults didn't understand me. lol.

 

[snoochface]

Haha have you ever seen Kyle XY? That's what your post reminded me of.

Yup, that's what I had in mind when I said it

 

[invisiblebabe]

Yup, that's what I had in mind when I said it

Hahaha Did you see the latest episode? I'd ask you what you think will happen next, but I don't want to give you any spoilers

I like Kyle's personality. If I could guarantee a kid I'd adopt (bio kids are out of the question b/c of my health problems) would be like him, I'd consider it.

 

[snoochface]

Hahaha Did you see the latest episode? I'd ask you what you think will happen next, but I don't want to give you any spoilers

I like Kyle's personality. If I could guarantee a kid I'd adopt (bio kids are out of the question b/c of my health problems) would be like him, I'd consider it.

We have this week's episode on the TiVo but haven't watched it yet. Did you know that stupid ABC Family isn't renewing it??

Yeah I agree, if I could have a kid like Kyle, I'd probably have one. Especially since he was "born" at age 16, so he'd be pretty low-maintenance overall

 

[invisiblebabe]

We have this week's episode on the TiVo but haven't watched it yet. Did you know that stupid ABC Family isn't renewing it??

Yeah I agree, if I could have a kid like Kyle, I'd probably have one. Especially since he was "born" at age 16, so he'd be pretty low-maintenance overall

They aren't renewing it! Evil!! Does that mean this one is the last season? I hope not!

LOL Kyle is a good 16-17 year old, but a lot of other teenagers aren't!