Let me begin with the statement that I do like kids. I work with kids at a summer camp. They’re cute, carefree, silly, and they think I’m cool just because I have a nose ring. Working with them is incredibly rewarding and I love spending time with them– but I get to return them at the end of the day. Everyone knows they can be exhausting and I cannot imagine dedicating my life to one. Childbirth is terrifying enough, but there’s more factors than the pain I’d go through while in labor that are influencing my decision to not want children. I know I’m still young and have my entire life ahead of me before even thinking about starting a family, but I’ve put a lot of thought into why it’d be a bad idea to have a kid of my own.
The main reason I don’t want to bring a child into this world is because I don’t believe it would be fair to them. That may sound ridiculous, but the evidence is clear: the world is ending. Seriously! A majority of people are blind to the impending doom of an environmental collapse. CLIMATE CHANGE IS A REAL THING! Hello, we have 20 years to reduce global carbon emissions by 40% before there’s no avoiding global catastrophe. Based on the position that climate change stands on the government’s list of priorities, I honestly don’t think we will be able to achieve this. Am I being pessimistic? No, I’m being realistic. Past generations have destroyed our Earth and it’s not fair to leave future generations with our mess. I don’t want to bring a human into a dying world.
Another reason why I don’t want kids is because I simply won’t be able to afford it. Kids are expensive. Recent research has found that it costs about $233,610 to raise a child from birth to 17 in the U.S. I’m going to be paying off my student loans until the day I die. I don’t have an extra $230,000 lying around. “But you’ll get a job and make money!!!” Over 50% of college graduates are unemployed or working in a job they’re overqualified for. I’ll be able to afford to raise a house plant, if I manage my money carefully.
Okay, now let’s get a bit more cynical, shall we? Ask yourself, “how many people do I know have divorced parents?” I’m sure at least half of them. Marriages end for various reasons, but there have been studies that conclude parenting roles are a main factor of unhappy marriages. I’ll be honest– I know I can be a handful when it comes to maintaining relationships. We all have our flaws. Throw in a child with my mix of imperfections and that’s a recipe for disaster. And maybe I won’t want to get married. Why get the law involved with a happy relationship? But that’s a complete other topic I could get too invested in. The bottom line is I don’t want to risk the relationship status with a potential future partner, or have a kid grow up in a broken home if a divorce were to occur.
Parenthood simply does not appeal to me. I want to live my life putting myself first and not have to have the responsibility of raising a tiny human. “But you’re still so young! One day you’ll meet someone and you two will want to start a family!” I understand that’s a very real possibility, but it’s not something I desire and I will be completely fine going through life without a “tiny me” running around. Sorry, Mom– you’ll have to rely on my brother to carry on the family legacy and give you grandchildren. The closest I’ll get to motherhood is through raising cats and dogs.