WE ARE CHILDFREE

I was never a big fan of children because they either bored me or irritated me.

I decided in high school I wanted to travel the world and children seemed like a bad idea for accomplishing that – but I was still sort of on the fence about them. I figured I’d know eventually.

I married in my early 20s not really deciding about kids or not, and my husband didn’t seem to care either way. I figured, at some point…

But about that time I had single-parent girlfriends, co-workers, and family members and I saw how hard their lives were – and mostly how these mothers all lost their freedom and sense of self after having kids.

I decided then: No thanks.

I divorced my husband mainly so he could have the family he quietly wanted (I felt it was unfair to him to remain in the relationship). He went on to have two.

I was 30.

I went on to live the life I was wanting and to learn I could take care of myself (and was really glad I wasn’t responsible for kids, too).

I was a travel agent for almost 10 years, traveled, went back to school to receive my BA, and met my current husband (who also didn’t want kids).

We married in 2000 and have traveled all over the world, lived in Japan for a year, and in our 50s relocated from CA to live in Manhattan (another dream of mine).

I’m in my mid-sixties now and am so glad I realized in my 20s that children were not for me. I have never regretted my decision.