I Don't Want Kids, and It's Not Just a Phase!

[caption id="attachment_1522" align="alignright" width="200" caption="As cuuuuuute as this baby is, I still don't want one. I do wanna hold her though..."][/caption]

I cannot ever remember a time that I did want to have children. There was that phase when I was with a particular ex that I started to see a family with two or three kids, but that was short-lived and died with the relationship. Whenever the issue has come up, I haven't hesitated to let people know that my future family will consist of myself, my husband, and a dog or two. This isn't something that was decided on a whim. Through a combination of observing others and determining my own life path, it became apparent that I am not meant to be a parent.There are several reasons for this, among them being that I acknowledge that I am too impatient and selfish with my time, money & attention to be a good mom. I don't see that changing any time soon (just being honest) and I refuse to be a bad mom. For years, I have stood firm in the affirmation that kids, while great, just do not fit into my life plan.

So why does everyone feel the need to tell me that it's just a phase?

Since when do phases last nearly 20 years? And why do they assume that at this point in life I don't know what I want? I want an exciting career. I want to be able to pick up and travel at a moment's notice. I want to pamper myself and my husband. I want to be able to have wild, spur-of-the-moment sex all over the house without worrying about a little one seeing or hearing us. I want to play with other folks' kids, buy them cute outfits and toys, then send them back to their own parents when they throw a fit. That's what I want. I do not want kids.

I applaud those who have it in them to love and nurture a child. It's an awesome task that more people should think seriously about before jumping into it. Just because you can have a baby doesn't mean you should. Everyone isn't meant for it, as evidenced by the horrid stories that are seen on the news about abuse and neglect. Even though that is the extreme end of "bad parenting," there are still those who do not consider how their actions and decisions may negatively affect their children. In my opinion, these people are just as selfish as I am. The only difference is that I can admit it to myself and realize that what a child doesn't need is a parent like me.