“I come from a pretty dysfunctional family, and I didn't want to replicate this is any way at all - and I was afraid that I would.”
I knew fairly early – age 16 – that I did not want children. My older siblings were having kids, and I enjoyed them. But I knew that it wasn’t for me. I come from a pretty dysfunctional family, and I didn’t want to replicate this is any way at all – and I was afraid that I would. I made sure to discuss this with men I dated early on, because I didn’t want to fall in love and then have to defend my decision or be pressured into kids, nor did I want to prevent a man that really wanted kids from having them because of my decision.
I went to Business School and got my MBA and I sought out jobs where I could travel internationally. I enjoyed many years of travel with several corporations. I also got to travel domestically. Many of my peers were “locked” into jobs where travel was never an option for them because of their children. I was also able to relocate several times along my path, to. Uprooting myself was pretty easy, with no kids to consider.
A man I met at work when I was 30 introduced me to the “Childless By Choice” idea, and I embraced it. I didn’t know there were actually a lot of other people like me! I was often asked when I was planning to start a family, or if “something was wrong” that I didn’t have kids. Very intrusive questions and I felt defensive as these people expected a response to the rude questions!
Now I am working towards retiring at 60. I have been able to invest and save for my retirement, while also having the ability to travel to many places, so I know where I want to retire.
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