“In the Latin culture you are supposed to get married and have kids.”

Glori, 33, Costa Rica

Ever since I can remember I haven’t wanted children. I never played with dolls, or enjoyed hanging with small kids. I remember being 12 and saying out loud to my friends: “I don’t want to be a mom”.

I’m now 33 and that hasn’t changed.

My decision is respected by some close to me, but also very unpopular for most people.

In the Latin culture you are supposed to get married and have kids. I was lucky enough to find a partner who supports and shares my decision. But his family would never approve our decision, that has been hard. We’ve been married for 2 years now and just after the wedding we started getting the question “when are you going to have kids?” When we say we don’t want kids the most common answer is “give it time, you will start craving for them”… as if kids were ice cream or a brownie, I don’t get it.

Not wanting kids doesn’t mean I dislike them, but it has been difficult to find other childfree friends. All around us couples are having kids or currently pregnant. Sometimes it can be a bit lonely, that’s why I’m thankful for this space and other childfree communities.