People Who Don't Plan To Have Kids Share Their Reasoning
I'd rather dogs thank you.

Yes children are beautiful gifts and being able to be parents is a miracle.
So many people long for the chance to build a family of their own with screaming children.
Whether a family is built through blood or adoption, it doesn't matter, it's a dream fulfilled.
But that doesn't mean it has to be for everybody.
We all don't have to be parents and many people really shouldn't, so let's support the people who choose themselves just as much as we support families.
Redditoronlinebeingwanted the childless to say their piece by asking...
Redditors that plan to probably not have kids, what are your reasons?
Enough Said.
"I was a teacher."
CatrionaPatricia
"I teach high school, and I have noticed that percentage of married teachers without kids is much higher than the average population. I think spending six to seven hours a day with kids really drives home how difficult having kids is, and that it is not a decision to make lightly."
Workacct1999
Legacy.
"I'm horrible at handling stress and sleep deprivation, and I probably have a genetic disorder that I absolutely don't want to pass on."
bonita__applebum
"I have so much crap in my family, from cancer to dementia that I'd be terrified to pass along."
JimBobSandoval
Disorders.
"Diagnosed with Narcissistic Personality Disorder. I've seen r/raisedbynarcissists and I am not putting any kid through that."
buzz_darkyear69
"Narcissism is very complicated, and it's also a spectrum. Narcissistic people are perfectly capable of being good people."
Animalgirlmep
So Many Reasons.
"Couldn't afford raising kids. Didn't have good upbringing so wouldn't know how to raise one. And the fear of pregnancy messing up my body. "
Smokeyeyemiss
"At some point I might've been on the fence about having kids, but there was a thread on AskReddit that went along the lines of, 'What's the worst part of pregnancy that nobody talks about?'"
"That's how I, an adult woman who's taken multiple iterations of sex ed, first heard about shit like massive tears, about being intentionally cut open from your anus to vagina to give the kid more room to escape, and never being able to hold your pee ever again. No thanks dude."
Not for Me.
"I don't feel like sacrificing my life for them. I salute all of you, people, who do this. But tell me honestly, wouldn't the world be a better place, if people only made kids when they want to have kids instead of just doing what is expected of them? "
AzarTheGreat
Born Free!
"My wife and I like our freedom and money."
PM_GUITAR_PICKS
"My husband and I have use-it-or-lose-it time off to burn before the end of the year, and we were talking about what to do with it. Neither of us really felt like taking a staycation, because we knew we'd just end up working. So after talking about if for like ten minutes, we went to Costco's website and booked a trip to Hawaii. We leave right after Thanksgiving."
ObscureEmoji
Never felt like it.
"I've never had that 'I really want kids feeling.' Ever. I'm in my thirties, if it were going to come it would have been here by now, and there's no way I could blithely create a whole new human hoping it turned out hunky dory without actually wanting them."
"I mean of course it makes life in the performing arts more feasible without kids, I don't have to worry about my already-fragile body taking serious damage, I can sleep, I can save money, etc etc but if I wanted kids, those "reasons" wouldn't matter."
"The only reason that matters is that I just don't want kids. The same way I don't want a parrot — they're amazing for other people, but I don't want one in my house."
"Edit: I was briefly pregnant when I was 27. It's not "different when it's your own." I got sterilized at 29 and I am still consciously grateful at least once a week that I can live my life on my terms without being paranoid about another accident."
Subtlety87
Crappy Choices.
"I know how crappy this sounds but if my child came out autistic or with some severe mental issues, I just couldn't do it and it's not fair to them, my wife, or any of their siblings that would be guilted into taking care of them when I die."
SHROOMHEAD666
"I was married in my 20s and it came to light fairly quickly that her gene pool was going to make any children we had a coin flip. Knowing what struggles she was facing, we decided early on that we couldn't do that to a child and just live with it if they turned out having the same or similar issues."
"I got used to the idea of never having kids pretty easily and embraced it soon after that. When my wife passed away, I actively looked for partners without children and found a girl with similar preferences. 10 years later, we are very happy with our decisions."
Darth_Corleone
Witnessing the Truth.
"I was open to it until my brother and sister-in-law had kids. Nope. Not a chance. They have no time to themselves, they're always tired, they've aged terribly, they don't get to do things that they want any more. They love it and my niece and nephew are lovely, but that's as close to that lifestyle as I'm willing to get."
Resentments.
"With my current mindset, I'd be an awful mom. Resenting my kids for my lost freedom. But who knows, I might grow out of it."
wanderforward
18+ years
"Every once in awhile I check in with myself and try to imagine the most amount of time per day that I would be willing to commit to parenting for 18+ years (but obviously more so in the first 5-10) and it's never more than 20-30 minutes... I feel like I would have to be okay with giving up at least 4-6 hours for it to even be a possibility worth thinking about."
No Kids.
"I don't like kids. I fear that they'll end up having a social-limiting condition that would make or difficult for them through life. I fear for my wife's pregnancy and all the risks that go with it. I fear that, no matter what, they'll end up in a gang or just freaking loser."
"I grew up with amazing Friends, raised the same but each got deviated into different stuff (obviously) but some went directly to the crapper. Bad economy in my country to have a kid."
Redna_VanLee
Money Issues
"2 reasons - I live very nicely with only myself to take care of, but it is paycheck-to-paycheck. Again, not struggling, but it's just comfortable enough for me. It wouldn't be realistic to bring a huge burden to that. I also worry a bit about how much of my mental illness they'd inherit."
SamuraiPanda201
Not Me
"I don't see me ever finding someone to have kids with, and I personally think with the way my life currently is it wouldn't be fair to adopt or get a surrogate etc."
evilabed24
We like our time...
"My husband and I were upfront with each other from the beginning... neither of us should be parents. I love kids. They’re great. I like giving them back to their owners more. Mental and physical illness don’t run in our families, it gallops like a racehorse."
"Bipolar, clinical depression, suicide, schizophrenia, arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, addiction, autoimmune disorders, and cancer are throughout both family trees. Men on my maternal side tend to drop dead of massive heart attacks before 65. That’s not a fair playing field to plop a child onto and I couldn’t do it."
"We're also poor and deeply selfish. We like our time. On top of all that I know my temperament. I stress easily and break down sometimes, becoming nonfunctional. I couldn’t bring a child into the world with the knowledge they’d resent me as a parent."
inmyotherpants79
Stability
"Okay so it might be a slightly different answer to what you'd expect from that question, but well. I'd like to have kids, but I don't want them to be genetically mine; even though I'd love to experience pregnancy myself, I think that if I had a life stable enough to be able to support a child, I don't see why I shouldn't adopt one that is already born and is in need of a loving family."
improdige
Little Lives
"I think I'd be a great dad, but internally I'd hate the crap out of it and probably resent myself. Kids are the worst they are narcissistic little messes who basically keep you locked in stagnant while they grow up for 18 years. I don't like taking care of my responsibilities now, and you want me to take on more responsibilities? With their little lives on the line? No thanks, my gf and dog are enough responsibilities for me."
i_*uckin_luv_it_mate
Unfair
"I don’t like kids, for one. I’m also disabled and my condition causes a lot of pain and fatigue so I wouldn’t be able to do it anyway. It just wouldn’t be fair."
LoveAndDynamite
I had ruined her life...
"My mother and grandmother constantly told me that having kids would ruin my life. I never could figure out when it would be a good time to ruin my life. So instead of 3 kids and no money, I have no kids and 3 money. Actually 7 houses and a dog. And, yes, my mother constantly told me that, as first born, I had ruined her life. She could not become the air force pilot, archaeologist, race car driver that she wanted to be."
inkseep1
Hell No!
"I saw my older sister give birth (she wanted family around super hippie chick) that was more than enough to put me off."
WellieThomas
Aggressive...
"I aggressively do not want kids. Other people's kids annoy me with their sounds and fluids, and I know that mine would annoy me ten times more with it being always in my face and needing constant attention. I'm glad there's people out there who can give kids happy, loving homes, and I don't hate kids (they just make me uncomfortable and gross me out) but maaaaaan it is not for me at all."
dal_segno
Children are a huge responsibility and they're not for everyone. People have very valid reasons for wanting them and for wanting to avoid them at all costs. Both points of view are completely valid.
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We'd love it if all families could be these perfect images of unconditional love, but sometimes that isn't the case.
In fact, sometimes it feels like parents cannot wait for their kids to grow up enough to move out of the house.
Redditor zeg685 asked:
"What do you think of the parents that kick their kids out as soon as they have turned 18 years old?"
Not the Norm Everywhere
"They're not Italian, that's for sure."
"Here in Italy, when the 'child' is finally ready to leave the house at the age of 35, the family gets together to bid them a tearful goodbye... before they move one kilometer away from their parent's house."
- arsenal7777
The Ones Without Visitors
"I wonder how many parents realize their relationship with their kids is somewhat quid pro quo."
"It feels a bit sociopathic of me to say, but take care of your kids and invest in their futures and lives. Rewarding in itself, yes, but ultimately, one day, you're gonna be old and unable to wipe your own a**, and if your kid hates you, he's not going to do it."
"H**l, I love my parents, but I still am not looking forward to those times."
- Blitzus
The Math Isn't Mathin'
"I still find it hard to understand why they kick them out at 18. They're barely out of school and most of them are not even prepared for the world."
"Do they magically mature and gain every skill needed to survive at 18? The animosity towards their own kids is just so appalling."
- nawangpalden
The Least They Could Do
"Even if you are that ready to get rid of them, why aren’t you letting them know that you are kicking them out so they better prepare to get their stuff In order before then? Why wait until the day they turn 18 to surprise them so they have absolutely no plans to move out? At the very least, give them a good heads-up and let them know you are serious. That is the least you could do."
- tigress666
When Karma Comes Around
"A girl from my class came home after our grad night party to find two garbage bags with her stuff in them. They didn't even tie it so when it rained that night it filled up the bags with water and destroyed her laptop, pictures, and clothing."
"Her parents showed up at her house last year on Independence Day because their house burned down from a firework mishap. I'm told the husband just asked them to leave. Oh, and I should add they didn't have insurance on the home so they were pretty much screwed."
- SupremeCultist
Money Management
"Once we were working full-time, if we were still at home, my Dad would charge a nominal rent to get us used to managing our money. He would just put it into an account and give it back upon moving out."
"Although if we did move back home, he'd no longer charge since we had experience and could save on our own."
- metalbassist33
From Generation to Generation
"I can’t imagine having to deal with some of the parents in this thread. My Dad lost a place to live at his parents’ house for the summer his last year of college and luckily my Mom’s parents let him stay in their basement. From what my parents told me my Dad was devastated by this."
"My parents’ rule was we would have a place to stay without paying rent as long as we were in school or after we graduated while we were getting our first job. I really appreciated their support and not needing to worry about housing during the summers while I was in college. Will be doing the same with my three kids."
- Dougeefargo
What Relationship Were They Expecting?
"I got kicked out of my mom's house at 15 because my mom was a headcase, and my OCD went off the scale because of the mental abuse. Dad didn't want to take me in and told me so, but my stepmom forced his hand. The day I graduated HS, my stuff was on the lawn with the locks changed."
"Then I had to live with years of angry messages on the answering machine, 'How come you never call?!?! Why do you hate our family?!?!'"
"I even got accused last week by a family member that I made the whole thing up when she was trying to tell me that I'm a bad person for ignoring my mom. The level of the narcissism of some people is unbelievable."
- ChiAnndego
You Can Stay If...
"I grew up with my mom constantly telling me that her retirement plan was for me to get rich and for her to move in with me."
"When I was well into adulthood and that was obviously not going to happen (and we were not getting along at all), I finally got it through her head that I was absolutely never going to be able to afford to support financially, and we'd kill each other if we lived together."
"Not long after that, she stopped talking to me. It was good to see that she only saw me as a potential pile of money and nothing else."
- sybrwookie
Sometimes White Lies Are Okay!
"My boyfriend got kicked out at 18, and his parents literally said to his face, 'Since you were an accident and we didn't mean to have you, we need you out of the house now so we can actually relax like we used to before you were born.'"
"Anyway, I think extremely badly of them."
- troll--boy
Law-Abiding or Whatever
"Kicking out your kid as soon as you're legally allowed to do so tells me you wanted them out of the house even earlier and the only reason you didn't do it is because you didn't want to be arrested."
- Frankie__
No Home, No Funeral
"My brother was out before 18 and I was out at 18, and my dad didn't even have a funeral."
"That should tell you about all you need to know about parents who kick their kids out as soon as possible."
- Ponk_Bonk
What More Could They Want
"I graduated fifth in my class academically, placed in states in sports my junior and senior year, and held a part-time job on weekends. Sometimes I’d get home at midnight after a tournament and then work my job at 5 AM the next day."
"I was kicked out less than two weeks after turning 18, started college two months later after couch surfing, and now my parents and I rarely talk. They still can’t figure out why they don’t see their grandkids often."
"I mean, not being conceited, but what the f**k else was I suppose to be doing not to get kicked out?"
- FrankAdamGabe
Break the Cycle
"I cut all ties after they kicked me out. They both died young. My life was rough for a while but it all turned out okay."
"And now I’m the adult, and my oldest is 20. He’s still at home rent-free while he pursues his career and education. I’ll do the same for the other four."
"We bought a new house when my oldest was 19 and we specifically made sure he had a room where he could feel comfortable to stay here and have his own space."
- Any_Monitor5224
Send the Right Message
"Dad kicked me out at 16, and I haven’t spoken to him in like two and a half years. My mom and I text once every other month at the most. And I moved across the country the day I turned 18 and never looked back."
"If you are a parent and you want a relationship with your kids, they need to know they are safe with you and that they have a place in your home. Kicking them out won't teach them that."
- Wicked_Twist
It should be a bittersweet moment for parents when their children are old enough to move out and start lives of their own that are not created by their parents, but that shouldn't be the goal.
It seems like some parents cannot wait for the day when their kids will move out, forced or otherwise, and we cannot help but wonder what their motivations were in having children in the first place.
Film historians and cinephiles claim many Turner Classic Movies transcend time and perpetually prompt renewed interest through successive generations.
There are arguably classic films like The Wizard of Oz (1939), All About Eve (1950), Singin' in the Rain (1952), Sunset Blvd. (1950), and The Godfather (1972), that are still being revisited and validated as some of the best cinema to this day.
Some films, however, eventually fell out of favor among moviegoers despite initially receiving critical acclaim and prestigious film awards.
Curious to hear examples of outdated movies once heralded as an instant "classic," Redditor Chance_in_Pants asked:
"What is a movie that has aged poorly?"
Some concepts just don't work anymore.
Future End Date
"The movie about the world ending in 2012."
– Sensitivenotsoft
Kermit Tampers With History
"The 1990s (I think) Muppets movie where someone shows Kermit what the world would be like if Kermit was never born. I think it fast forwards to NYC 2002 and in the movie, the Twin Towers were still standing, so canonically Kermit being born somehow caused 9/11"
– MemeGuyOnReddit
Another Possession
"The Last Exorcism. Made obsolete by The Last Exorcism 2."
– tafkat
Outdated FX
"The new Jurassic world films already look more out of date than the original."
– BeneficialName9863
There are certain rom-com storylines that are now perceived as controversial.
Manipulating The Teacher
"Never Been Kissed."
"drew barrymore posing as a teenager and having a relationship w the teacher who gets MAD when he finds out shes not a teenager and is his age, then we're just supposed to smooth it over at the end."
– sungirlie
Creeps Always Win
"The entire sub-genre of romantic comedy that can be described as 'stalker gets the girl.'"
– brinazee
Waking Sleeping Beauty
"Passengers fits this description 100%"
– jts5039
"I know this is said a lot, but that film would’ve been the perfect horror movie if you followed Jennifer Lawrence’s perspective from the start."
– Big_Noodle1103
Unrealistic
"40 days and 40 Nights."
"No one lives like that in San Francisco or works at a tech firm designing websites to make money like that..."
"But most importantly, that ending would not fly."
– SuddenlyThirsty
The following examples would never work today.
Ageless
"Benjamin Button."
– ComputerSong
A celebrity's personal indiscretions or controversial political views can potentially dissuade bothered viewers from ever watching their films again.
In that sense, who knows if and when canceled actors Mandalorian star Gina Carano and disgraced comedians like Louis C.K. and Roseanne Barr will ever find themselves back in the spotlight or appear in future films.
I used to be a huge fan of the latter two comedians in their respective TV shows, but now I find it difficult to want to revisit their earlier work without thinking of their past remarks made at the expense of marginalized communities.
Deep down, nearly all parents dream of at least one of their children becoming a doctor, lawyer, or high-earning professional.
This doesn't mean they aren't still proud of their children if they enter a profession that doesn't exactly make them rich but brings them joy and also brings joy and happiness to others.
Even if it doesn't stop others from passing judgment on their career of choice.
In fact, there are some careers that are almost universally viewed as a hindrance, if not a threat, to modern society.
Jobs that might cause harm to the environment, or jobs that barely qualify as jobs, which no one should actually be paid to do.
"What is the most bullshit profession that actually exists?"
Why Celebrities Have No Privacy
"Paparazzi."
"Professional stalking/harassment."- __TenguDruid__
Those Pesky Fees...
"NYC apartment brokers."
"I hate having a middleman."
"The only way it would make sense to me is if they were there to negotiate on my behalf, but instead they are incentivized to do the very opposite."- RamenTheory
Charisma Can Get You Far...
"Promotional speaker."
"'Let me tell you how I became successful charging you $10,000 to speak how I get $10,000!'"- mattosx
Always Be Careful With Your Investments...
"Anyone who says they have an 'investing strategy'.''
"100% makes money from selling this bullsh*t and couldn't make money investing in a million years."- BCS24
One Only Hopes Someone Isn't Paying them To Do This...
"Whatever the person who's in charge of making the malware and annoying redirect ads is called."- iamhumi
Oh, The American Healthcare System...
"The jerk at insurance companies who gets to choose if a medical procedure is covered."- BigBiggity
When In Doubt, Buy From The Source...
"'Ticket broker' and 'Console broker'."
"AKA Ticket scalper and console scalper."
"Add no value to the transaction, just needlessly insert themselves to profit."
"F*ck 'em."- Srslywhyumadbro
"See The Pyramids Along The Way..."
"Anyone who sells MLM garbage."
"No, I don’t want to buy your average at-best makeup."- Toasty825
Be Wary Of Those Who Claim They're Fluent In Barking...
"Pet communicator."
"Yes we have these in my country, and there’s this famous internet joke:"
"Communicator: 'Your pet wants to be pet more often."
"Owner: 'He is a fish'."- wildcat5566
Doesn't Take ESP To Figure This Out...
"Psychic."
"Any kind, especially those who prey on people mourning the dead and convincing them they are speaking."- galacticracedonkey
Preach!
"Televangelists."- JewishSpace_Laser
Taylor Swift Probably Agrees
"The entirety of Ticketmaster."
"If they had to compete on a level playing field, your concerts would cost half of what they do."- VSM1951AG
Why You Should Never Answer A Number You Don't Recognize...
"Phone/text/email solicitations for anything."
"If I wanted to buy something or sell you my house I would contact you."
"F*ck off."- randomcanyon
Before we pass judgment, we should always remember that some people simply need to earn a living, and don't think any more fondly of these professions than we do.
Even if it doesn't make calls from telemarketers any less frustrating...
"Don't step on a crack or you'll break your mother's back".
"If you make too many funny faces, they'll eventually get stuck."
"Watching too much TV can make your eyes fall out."
Three of the many superstitions parents, teachers, and other authoritative adults tell children in hopes of getting them to behave.
It doesn't take long for children to realize that these are all merely myths.
This doesn't mean that there aren't plenty of well-educated adults who still believe silly myths like these.
In spite of bountiful scientific evidence, not to mention common sense, some people remain convinced that superstitions and folklore, no doubt meant to frighten or entertain, are actually based in reality.
"What's the dumbest myth people today believe?"
With A Few Deep Breaths, You Can Get Away With Anything
"'Lie detectors' as a literal thing."
"There's a reason they aren't admissible as evidence in court in most places."- bitew41489
How Would That Even Work?...
"My dad had this guy helping him out, think Big Box store DIY curb ready helper, who told him 'If you sleep with your hair wet, you will bleed out of your mouth'."
"And he was 110% sure that was fact."
"We were both just confused and bewildered at this statement."
"What the hell had this guy witnessed?!"- bitew41489
Purely For Dramatic Effect
"There are dumber ones out there, but the one I, as an estate lawyer, deal with constantly is the idea that there needs to be a 'reading' of the will, where the family all gather and the lawyer reads it aloud to them for the first time."
"We don't do that, we just mail everyone their own copy if they want it."
"It's a really stubbornly persistent one because people continue to see scenes of it in movies and TV shows, where it's used for some big dramatic reveal."
"I've even had irate beneficiaries insist that the administration of the estate can't be 'official' until there's a reading."
"Way, way back, like 150 years ago or so, I believe we used to do something like that at times because you couldn't exactly presume literacy on the part of the beneficiaries, but now we feel it's a pretty safe bet that you can either read it or find someone who can."- PigHaggerty
Shouldn't They Also Have To Register Their Legs?
"Black belts have to register their fists as weapons."
"I can't believe I was dumb enough to fall for that."- gorox47927
...Still Best Not To Try It...
"If you drop a penny off a skyscraper, it will eventually fall fast enough to puncture someone’s skull."
"By that logic, raindrops would hurt or straight up kill you."
"Not to mention hail."- UnvwevweOsas
A Balanced Diet Is All It Takes...
"Detox drinks."- Ok-Relief-723
Though We Should Believe This One...
"Tear here to open."- TheDarkSide2187
You Never Know What Your Good Luck Is...
"It is believed in Indian culture that keeping your unibrow means 'good luck'."
"I kept my unibrow for 20 years thinking it is my 'good luck' until I got stage 5th of kidney failure and I did my eyebrows after that because who gives a f*ck about luck anymore."
"Now my eyebrows look cute af."- Full_Sector_1606
The Reason Everyone Sleeps With Their Mouths Closed
"That you eat spiders in your sleep."
"Spiders will not knowingly walk into a preditor's mouth."
"They can sense both the heartbeat, heat and noise from humans."
"All things that would alert them not to go into our mouth."- messeboy
If Anything, It Might Actually Come Out Faster...
"I remember the myth that gum takes 7 YEARS to fully pass through your digestive system."- QuandiliusDinglebop
You Shouldn't Wait 48 Seconds!
"You have to wait 48 hours to report someone missing."- loxisi5751
No Two Bodies Are The Same
"When I had cancer a few years back and was doing chemotherapy I had people who constantly questioned that I actually 'had cancer' due to the fact that my hair didn't fall out until I was actually in remission."
"Had been off chemo for about 2-3 weeks when my hair started gradually thinning and falling out."
"It's a complete myth that every single person's hair will have the same reaction to chemo."
"Some people lose hair right away, some don't."
"Everybody is different."- DorothyGMilne
Once A Genius, Always a Genius
"That Einstein failed his grade school math class."
"It was the subject of a Ripley’s Believe It or Not column in 1935 and Einstein himself refuted the article."
"In primary school, he had been at the top of the class and by 15 he had mastered differential and integral calculus."- rolis20544
Always Make Sure That Lid Is On Tightly
"Not sure if this fits here exactly, but the McDonald's hot coffee lawsuit being a frivolous case filed by a money hungry customer."
"That poor lady was a real victim who suffered legitimate injuries who only wanted her medical costs covered."- deneto1043
Always Check With Your Doctor First...
"That magnetic jewelry / healing will cure just about anything."
"A dude named Mesmer the 1780 came up with the idea, and it has been debunked many times."
"Yet it’s still a billion dollar industry."
"Fun fact - the word 'mesmerized' is related to him."- rolis20544
Be it watching too much TV will make your eyes fall out or Windex can clear up any ailment, some people will truly believe anything.
And no amount of convincing will ever change their mind.