Don't you want a....

  Wait, you do own dogs don't you?  How did you get away with this one?

What do you mean "How did I get away with this one"?  WHat's to get away from?  When  you pick up a puppy, it doesn't vomit on you, it doesn't burp in your face, and it doesn pee in your lap.
 
Heck, the worst thing about puppies is puppy breath (that's right, I don't like puppy breath....love puppy kisses, not puppy breath)!
 
Sally, you're awesome ^_^

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I love my little ones, and can't wait for the new one to come. []
 
Not everybody is meant to have children. But, IMO, if people can put down babies and kids (and pretty much the people that have them), why can't I put down people that don't want any?
 
But I wont do that. I'll keep it all to myself. []
 
 
 
 

ORIGINAL: sierra2002

I'm 20, and I haven't been asked that question too much. But then again, I've recently had some people ask me if I'm in grade 10 or 11... (nope.. 3rd year of university...)

 
Lol I just turned 26 and graduated from college 4 years ago. Three days ago I had a woman about my age ask me "Oh are you going off to college this year?" when I was buying a Suduko game at Bed Bath and Beyond. I feel your pain! []
 
As far as the kid thing, I understand that as well. Again, I'm 26 and I've been married for almost 4 years. People just can't understand why we don't have at least 1-2 kids by now. Just because a lot of my cousins were pregnant in high school, does not mean that I need to have children by 26. It's only been recently (since we got our dogs actually) that we can even imagine being responsible enough to raise children. It will happen for us someday, but we have not been ready up to this point.
 
I think that "kid people" just love to hear stories about babies, see pictures of babies and play with babies, so they want everyone "of age" to have them so they can share in the joy. But everyone is different as far as when (if ever) they are ready for their own. So I try not to let it bother me.

ORIGINAL: hlb118

But, IMO, if people can put down babies and kids (and pretty much the people that have them), why can't I put down people that don't want any?

 
If you feel the need--go ahead.  The only person who's opinion on whether or not I have children matters to me is my mother's, and as far as I know, you are not her.
 
I am happily childfree, and if people think less of me for it--blah-blah.[]
 

I really didn't have anything bad to say about people who don't want children. Half of my friends and family are childless.
 
I don't know how to explain it, but it felt like people with children/babies were being put down. My kids are VERY well behaved. But some are just hellians. It's just like dogs, and depends how they're raised.
 
I don't think any of the "having babies" threads had any unkind things to say about people who didn't want kids.
 
I don't find a baby's cry as shrieking. I kind of like that sound. Half the people that are going to be reading this thread have children. I must be the only one that was a little bothered by some of the stuff that was said.
 
 

Don't mind me... I'm having an icky day [:'(]  Carry on.

ORIGINAL: hlb118

I really didn't have anything bad to say about people who don't want children. Half of my friends and family are childless.

I don't know how to explain it, but it felt like people with children/babies were being put down. My kids are VERY well behaved. But some are just hellians. It's just like dogs, and depends how they're raised.

I don't think any of the "having babies" threads had any unkind things to say about people who didn't want kids.

I don't find a baby's cry as shrieking. I kind of like that sound. Half the people that are going to be reading this thread have children. I must be the only one that was a little bothered by some of the stuff that was said.

 
And I'm a little bothered by the fact that I can't sit through a meal at a restaurant without having some kid screaming (it's great that you like the sound, but not everyone does), or climbing all over the seat like a monkey, or throwing a fit.  My mother, who teaches 3rd grade and LOVES kids finds this very annoying as well.
 
 

I think it's great that today women really do have a choice.  A generation or so ago, women had kids because society expected them to - you got married and you had kids without giving much (if any) thought to whether or not this was the right decision. Because of that, a lot of people who should never, ever have become parents had kids. They were miserable and the kids were miserable, but they just plodded on because they thought that was the way it was supposed to be.  Much, much better to actually make an informed choice. []

Joyce

When I said I liked the sound... I was talking about a newborn. Not a toddler. My two were not allowed to act up in public, if so... They get to stand in the corner outside, against the building. But that's how I was raised. No screaming, yelling, making a mess, etc in public. Period.
 
But isn't that stereo typing? kind of like... if one pitbull is aggressive, all are?
 
 

ORIGINAL: fuzzy_dogs_mom

I think it's great that today women really do have a choice.  A generation or so ago, women had kids because society expected them to - you got married and you had kids without giving much (if any) thought to whether or not this was the right decision. Because of that, a lot of people who should never, ever have become parents had kids. They were miserable and the kids were miserable, but they just plodded on because they thought that was the way it was supposed to be.  Much, much better to actually make an informed choice. []

Joyce

 
I do worry about that--I think I'd screw a kid up.  I think if someone is going to bring a child into this world they should be committed to raising that child into a solid, well adjusted adult, and that is just NOT something I am willing to committ to, at least not in the forseeable future.  I don't want to be a half-a**ed, dull mother.

ORIGINAL: hlb118

When I said I liked the sound... I was talking about a newborn. Not a toddler. My two were not allowed to act up in public, if so... They get to stand in the corner outside, against the building. But that's how I was raised. No screaming, yelling, making a mess, etc in public. Period.

But isn't that stereo typing? kind of like... if one pitbull is aggressive, all are?

 
Sorry, but ALL kids, at some point, have thrown a fit, screamed, cried etc, that is the nature of children.  Even the most well behaved children I know do that sometimes.  I don't think that you can say that all pits, at one time or another, have bitten someone.  I'm sorry, but the sound of babies crying is like Chinese water torture to my ears.  I can't help it, it just bothers me.

Look, I'm sorry if you take my dislike for children personally.  I think if people was to have kids, fine.  I'm just not mommy material.

If a parent doesn't remove the screaming child from the presence of other people, or lets it carry on without stopping it, is irresponsible, and not respecting others.
 
I have two kids now. One is 6, and the other is 3. Yes, fits are common, but at home. Not in public. I stopped mine at a young age with a quick "that is enough", and if it doesn't stop. Outside they go. No one wants to hear someone's kid scream in public, and I'm with you on that one.
 
I can NOT stand it when a child, no matter what age, is screaming, yelling, or throwing a fit in a store. Every time I go shopping, I can hear the kid across the store screaming no at it's parent. That right there is grounds for a spanken. But that's a different subject.
 
But like I first said, if the parent doesn't handle the child misbehaving (sceaming, throwing a fit, yelling) right away when out in public, is very disrespectful to the other people trying to go about their business.

Christina, I for one applaud your wisdom in knowing that you are not mommy material.  That might change one day, might not.  Nor am I going to try to convince you that "it's different" when it's your own child.  Yep, often it is, but why gamble that it won't be?  Then you  are stuck with a kid you didn't want and don't want to be around for a VERY long time and everyone suffers.
 
I am a mother.  I love being a mother, but MINE are adults.  And too many parents these days don't seem to want to put the work into being parents and have children that I want to RUN to get away from.  Nope, not the kids fault, but neither is a a babies fault that it cries to have it's needs met, and if that bugs you, well it bugs you and that's part of who you are.  No woman should ever be made to feel LESS a woman because she doesn't want and doesn't like kids.  JMHO