Child Free

[kopilo]

Child-free persons have made a concious choice not to have children. It follows that most child-free see children as a negative for their lives. Otherwise, they'd have children. What's so wrong with seeing children as a negative? It's not as if the child-free are kicking other people's kids or trying to banish them to an ice flow.

The issue comes if people pre-concieve by the term child-free to mean that someone does not want any children in their life because they do not want any of their own; for example, a child-free kindergarden teacher. Some people (eg parents) may hold prejudice against that person because they are dealing with children when they don't want any in their life or of their own, despite how good they may be at their job.

 

[WhoeverLovesGod01]

If you want to use phrases like "child-free," by all means, go ahead.

I guarantee you'll recieve criticism.

 

[kopilo]

If you want to use phrases like "child-free," by all means, go ahead.

I guarantee you'll recieve criticism.

Nothing like having a garantee to still be filled.

 

[DietCherryCola]

If you want to use phrases like "child-free," by all means, go ahead.

I guarantee you'll recieve criticism.

Of course you can garantee it. You're here to provide it.

No one else I've ever encountered has had a problem with it. Outside of your own disdain, you cannot garantee a thing. Even supposing the rest of the world shared your fixation, I would not bend to outside pressure. Why would I?

 

[bammertheblue]

If someone wants to criticize me for using the term "child-free", they can go right ahead. It would be very rude, but that's not against the law.
Honestly, I don't care what other people think of my decision not to have children, but I'd really rather they were polite and respected it. That seems to be beyond some people, but that's their problem, not mine.

 

[Loundry]

I’ve seen and read a lot of hoopla regarding the child free lifestyle here (and on other sites). I don’t quite understand why anyone thinks they have the right to tell people whether or not they should have kids. I have 2 kids, but I fully support someone’s decision to not have kids.

Anyone want to share their opinion?

"Child free" is a normal negative reaction toward the pressure to have children taken to a really snotty and annoying extreme. It's yet another flavor of elitism, and no less ugly than the rest of them.

 

[KarateCowboy]

I’ve seen and read a lot of hoopla regarding the child free lifestyle here (and on other sites). I don’t quite understand why anyone thinks they have the right to tell people whether or not they should have kids. I have 2 kids, but I fully support someone’s decision to not have kids.

Anyone want to share their opinion?

Heh heh. Some people say they won't have kids because humans are taking up too many resources and they don't want to be 'humanist'. I call it 'natural selection'.

 

[DietCherryCola]

Heh heh. Some people say they won't have kids because humans are taking up too many resources and they don't want to be 'humanist'. I call it 'natural selection'.

Natural selection is the elimination of inborn traits or deformities. Opinions and preferences are not passed down through DNA. Sorry to disappoint!

 

[Lokisdottir]

Heh heh. Some people say they won't have kids because humans are taking up too many resources and they don't want to be 'humanist'. I call it 'natural selection'.

Natural selection is the elimination of inborn traits or deformities. Opinions and preferences are not passed down through DNA. Sorry to disappoint!

True enough. People seem to think that because I won't be reproducing, there'll be fewer people like me around. Unfortunately for them, I don't need to have children in order to have an impact on the world around me. Ideas, opinions, politics aren't hereditary (otherwise I'd be a Republican like my parents).

Also, KC, 'humanist' doesn't mean what you think it means.

 

[KarateCowboy]

True enough. People seem to think that because I won't be reproducing, there'll be fewer people like me around. Unfortunately for them, I don't need to have children in order to have an impact on the world around me. Ideas, opinions, politics aren't hereditary (otherwise I'd be a Republican like my parents).

Also, KC, 'humanist' doesn't mean what you think it means.

I am very surprised that you two are taking my comment seriously. I was only joking around. Although if you really wanted to you could make an argument that people who are more likely to buy into goofy ideas like that might weed themselves out.

 

[moonkitty]

If you want to use phrases like "child-free," by all means, go ahead.

I guarantee you'll recieve criticism.

Can you think of any phrase that won’t receive criticism?

I don’t think the problem is with the phrase—the problem that some one is always going to want to tell you how you should live your life—right down to something as personal as children; and they usually use religion to back up their reason for being noisy.

 

[moonkitty]

"Child free" is a normal negative reaction toward the pressure to have children taken to a really snotty and annoying extreme. It's yet another flavor of elitism, and no less ugly than the rest of them.

How is not wanting to have children elitism?

 

[KarateCowboy]

How is not wanting to have children elitism?

I think that Loundry is not talking about people who just don't like kids; rather the kind of people who do it out of elitism. People who do not want kids because they just do not want them usually do not care what you say and would not go through the trouble of figuring out some politically correct label like 'Child Free'. The very term 'Child Free' rings of some sort of snobbish superiority, as if being free from children gives you special edge and now may smugly squint your eyes and chuckle slyly. 'Child Free' --"We must go through extra effort to turn ourselves into a special class that is separate from those normal folks who just aren't as virtuous as us to make the sacrifice". If you don't have kids because you did not have enough desire to get to it then you do not care enough to make some silly label. I've never climbed the Himalayas but have not found a special 'Himalay-Climb-Free' label to give myself. I think that is what Loundry is getting at.

I agree with Loundry. If you don't have kids then most people won't take issue with it unless you start throwing it in their faces. I personally plan to have many children and believe that big families are great, but I have never asked anyone if they planned to have kids to try and get them to believe in it.

 

[Lokisdottir]

I think that Loundry is not talking about people who just don't like kids; rather the kind of people who do it out of elitism. People who do not want kids because they just do not want them usually do not care what you say and would not go through the trouble of figuring out some politically correct label like 'Child Free'. The very term 'Child Free' rings of some sort of snobbish superiority, as if being free from children gives you special edge and now may smugly squint your eyes and chuckle slyly (?!?). 'Child Free' --"We must go through extra effort to turn ourselves into a special class that is separate from those normal folks who just aren't as virtuous as us to make the sacrifice". If you don't have kids because you did not have enough desire to get to it then you do not care enough to make some silly label. I've never climbed the Himalayas but have not found a special 'Himalay-Climb-Free' label to give myself. I think that is what Loundry is getting at.

You are reading way, waaaay too much into it.

 

[Aquamarine81]

I don't have children and don't want to. I'm not offended at all by the term "child free" and actually prefer it over the term "childless" (which would imply that I want children but am unable to have any). I simply don't want to be tied down by children -- that may be selfish but I think it would be more selfish if I brought a child into the world knowing I couldn't adequately take care of him or her.

 

[WhoeverLovesGod01]

My guarantee is already effective...

Can you think of any phrase that won’t receive criticism?

Whatever fits the context of the conversation. A simple, "I have no children," would suffice.

 

[non-religious]

[Balya]I don't have children and don't want to. I'm not offended at all by the term "child free" and actually prefer it over the term "childless" (which would imply that I want children but am unable to have any). I simply don't want to be tied down by children -- that may be selfish but I think it would be more selfish if I brought a child into the world knowing I couldn't adequately take care of him or her.

Exactly.........

As far as my involvement in this never-ending discussion goes, I need not comment any further because Bayla has so eloquently rounded up all the previous posts with the above statement.

What more really needs to be said?

 

[TwinCrier]

I’ve seen and read a lot of hoopla regarding the child free lifestyle here (and on other sites). I don’t quite understand why anyone thinks they have the right to tell people whether or not they should have kids. I have 2 kids, but I fully support someone’s decision to not have kids.

Anyone want to share their opinion?

If someone doesn't want kids, that's their choice, but the problem is many in the movement belittle not only people who have children, but the children as well. I can't repeat the names they call others who actually want children, it's quite hateful. Makes me glad they aren't reproducing.

 

[DietCherryCola]

I am very surprised that you two are taking my comment seriously. I was only joking around. Although if you really wanted to you could make an argument that people who are more likely to buy into goofy ideas like that might weed themselves out.

LOL... you win!

But to be fair, many people have presented this goofy idea as a serious theory, so I tend to take it as such. I'm glad you weren't serious.

 

[DietCherryCola]

If someone doesn't want kids, that's their choice, but the problem is many in the movement belittle not only people who have children, but the children as well. I can't repeat the names they call others who actually want children, it's quite hateful. Makes me glad they aren't reproducing.

That's a small sampling of childfree (mostly online where people tend to puff out their chest, anyhow). Don't discount that the extremists don't annoy the rest of us childfree, as well!