Welcome to the September 2012 edition of the Childfree Times, this is a collection of articles, videos, images and more all related to being and living a Childfree life by choice (and for some not so much by choice to start with).
Articles and Blog Entries
Five Reasons Childfree Adults May Be Happier Than Parents Intuitively, one might think that a person who doesn’t have kids would feel a sense of emptiness and deep regret in his or her decision. Believe it or not, we find that the exact opposite is true. One myth about childfree adults is that they’re happier because they are selfish and have more money for fancy vacations and sports cars. But if you talk to most childfree adults, this is not what’s causing them to report higher levels of happiness than are reported by parents. Let’s take a look at some of the factors that may explain why childfree adults are happier than parents.
Brilliant Parents Bribe Airline Passengers to Put Up With Their Crying Babies If you’ve ever pondered the difference between parents who maintain friendships with the child-free and the parents from whom everyone without kids (and sometimes those with) run, it’s simple. The parents who still have friends are the ones who recognize that sometimes their kids can be complete and total pains in the ass. Take the couple who recently decided to bribe an entire airplane’s worth of passengers with bags of candy so they’d put up with their twin sons’ crying.
It’s time for a kid-free vacation (CNN) — Imagine a lovely trip to the Caribbean, your favorite mountain retreat or even Disneyland without hordes of children around.
Childfree Back to School, And Loving It ‘Tis the season yet again when pencil sharpeners start their engines and kids have to start waking up early to stand on bus corners in the chilly dawn like tiny prostitutes with backpacks. School is in!
Childhood Trauma and Childfreedom Well, here we go again with a bunch of nonsensical BS as to why those who are childfree desire to remain without children. It seems that a lot of people who are pro-parenthood seem to think that the reason we don’t reproduce is because of childhood trauma and not wanting to become like our parents.
No Kids…No Problem – Child-Free Neighborhoods The 2010 US Census revealed that American households made of married couples with children is dwindling. According to a Brookings Institute demographer, William Frey, “80% of households in the US are not families with children.”
Op-Ed: To Baby Or Not To Baby – Lesbians Birthing, Adopting and Being Child-Free ..“Are you going to have a baby?” we are often asked. My wife is 36 and I am 43. We have no plans to have a baby, and when we say no (usually quickly and with a bit of conviction), we are often met with surprise. “Really? Are you sure?” “Yes, we are sure. We may adopt a child someday, or foster a child,” we say. And someday, we may. ..
Sorry, not all moms are obsessed with parenting Ah, behold the adult without children: unburdened and carefree, the next great adventure up ahead. And over there, meet the parents: anxious and sleep-deprived, muttering about attachment-this and self-esteem-that. I have two kids but the childfree are my real people. As Liz Lemon would say: “I want to go to there.”
Who are the childfree? Some people don’t have the skills and/or abilities to be parents. We see the evidence in our personal lives and the media. We think, “They should never have had kids.” Most have never known they had a choice. People are pressured by society, right person or not. So I introduce the term “childfree” and other samples of related lingo…
Yes, Childfree Is Normal: Why I Moved From “Can’t” to “Won’t” Today I think The Atlantic is the best publication around these days, and admire its thoughtful tackling of women’s issues. Why Women Still Can’t Have It All, that post by Anne-Marie Slaughter that got so many people talking? I loved it — smart and well argued.
Why My Husband Is Getting A Vasectomy I’ve been walking around with a sketch of a uterus and cervix in my reporter’s notebook for several weeks now, courtesy of my gynecologist. She drew it while explaining to me how an IUD works. I keep it around both because I like it as a conversation piece and because when you write about ladyparts as much as I do, it’s actually quite useful as a reference tool at the office or, you know, the bar. Wherever.