There has been a common theme at camp this week with the questions the children have been asking me about my life.
"Ms. Sadie, how many kids do you have?"
"Well I don't have any kids."
"WHAT? REALLY? Why not?!!
On two separate occasions one or more of the campers have asked if I have any children, if I am married and when I'm planning on doing both of these things. At first I was kind of taken aback. But as I thought about it more I realized that they can't really understand my age or where I am in my life in comparison to their parents or other adults. To them, I am a grownup. Which is weird because I barely consider myself a grownup.
In the past year, two dear of friends of mine have gotten married. One of them is now a family with three children under the age of eight and the other has no real plans for kids. I told the children who asked me about my own plans that I have pretty much decided to be child free. I did not tell them my reasoning mostly because I wanted to keep the conversation short, but being around kids 28-ish hours a week, the subject is unsurprisingly on my mind quite a bit. I get to observe lots of different kinds of parenting skills (or lack thereof) and experience the most well adjusted kids the children with a host of issues.
I have felt for a long time that my choice to be child-free is final. But recently I have discovered that having a kid wouldn't be the worst thing that could ever happen. I still have no urge to have children that share my DNA but I find myself considering adoption if I ever found myself in the right situation. I believe that thinking about all of this is good for me, but I am constantly reminding myself that nothing is set in stone and I will always be allowed to change my mind. But, for now at least, I still agree with my decision to be child-free.
I read this article at Jezebel a little while ago and have been thinking a lot about women having the choice to have kids or not and how those women are perceived and can be discriminated against. Check it.
"Ms. Sadie, how many kids do you have?"
"Well I don't have any kids."
"WHAT? REALLY? Why not?!!
On two separate occasions one or more of the campers have asked if I have any children, if I am married and when I'm planning on doing both of these things. At first I was kind of taken aback. But as I thought about it more I realized that they can't really understand my age or where I am in my life in comparison to their parents or other adults. To them, I am a grownup. Which is weird because I barely consider myself a grownup.
In the past year, two dear of friends of mine have gotten married. One of them is now a family with three children under the age of eight and the other has no real plans for kids. I told the children who asked me about my own plans that I have pretty much decided to be child free. I did not tell them my reasoning mostly because I wanted to keep the conversation short, but being around kids 28-ish hours a week, the subject is unsurprisingly on my mind quite a bit. I get to observe lots of different kinds of parenting skills (or lack thereof) and experience the most well adjusted kids the children with a host of issues.
I have felt for a long time that my choice to be child-free is final. But recently I have discovered that having a kid wouldn't be the worst thing that could ever happen. I still have no urge to have children that share my DNA but I find myself considering adoption if I ever found myself in the right situation. I believe that thinking about all of this is good for me, but I am constantly reminding myself that nothing is set in stone and I will always be allowed to change my mind. But, for now at least, I still agree with my decision to be child-free.
I read this article at Jezebel a little while ago and have been thinking a lot about women having the choice to have kids or not and how those women are perceived and can be discriminated against. Check it.
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