Do you want Kids? Why or Why Not?

[Lauri M]

I noticed on the discussion about kids' names there was a large number of you that did not want kids, even though you picked names you would give them if you did. I have always wanted kids, ever since I can remember and now have 2.

Although I respect anyone's decision not to procreate, I am curious as to your reasons. Don't get me wrong, if you don't want 'em, then DON'T have 'em.

So, why or why not, guys? Oh, and if you used to not want kids, but had one anyway how do you feel about that now?

[broelle]

yeah definitely when I'm older and married. But it also scares me waaay bad at how many ways I could screw up their lives.
I hope I'm awesome like my mom is.

[Pilár]

there's a baby name thread? I can't believe I missed that. I love names, everything about them fascinates me.

That said, I'll probably end up having kids at some point I imagine. It's in my blood to want to have kids. My family doesn't frown upon early pregnancy which is unusual for most to say the least. You'd be hard pressed to find a woman in my family who didn't have children before the age of 25.

I don't think I want to be like the rest of my family, having kids so young, but I think that society makes pregnancy, child birth, and children in general, into something menacing and evil. Having a child shouldn't be viewed as the end of your life or the end of youth. Obviously, a certain level of maturity is needed to mother a child responsibly but children can be properly nurtured outside someone's typical view of what "should" happen when raising a child.

In all, I just think that if society stopped treating children as if they were the ultimate hindrance on any advancement for a woman then people wouldn't view babies as menacing to well-being.

It's safer for women to have children at younger ages and if the whole world waits until their 38 to have kids, we'll have a group of premature babies with eye problems and underdeveloped bones.

[Lauren M.]

I don't really want children. I think I've hated small children even when I was one, because I really had no friends. 'Cause they're gross.

But at the same time, I want someone to read fairy tales to, and to hold ickle small hands and feet, and to whisper googoo to without the recipient giving me a strange look. I want to buy tiny clothes. I want the knowledge that something awesome came from me.

But then I see children and I'm like "what the hell? Get off me." I also don't think that I could ever unconditionally love someone, and I don't want to disappoint and screw up a child.

[Lee Katherine]

I've always loved kids...I forget the reasoning, but for as long as I can remember I have wanted 3 kids (my parents have 2, and I guess it didn't seem like enough).

Plus, since I was really young I've been keeping a journal of the things my mother does that I vow to do differently, in terms of child-rearing. I feel like I owe it to myself to break that cycle (she's pretty much a carbon copy of her father's parenting style).

Also, my dad would be the most awesome Grandpa ever, and I don't feel like I have to right to deny that to him or my future children.

[Hitchmarlin]

hell yhea a few years of sleep deprivation= minions minions are so worth sleep deprevation

jk

nah i want kids i love kids but first i need to find a girlfriend sigh

[Sarah Alexis]

I like the idea of having children at some point in my life. However, I don't know that I'll have a lifestyle conducive to having children, and I also question the ethics of bringing more children into the world when so many are orphaned and need homes. I don't like the idea of adding to our population problem. Therefor, I think I've decided that if I ever do settle down enough to raise children, I'll adopt them instead of having my own.