21 child-free people reveal the worst comments they've received about their choice.
Living a child-free life unfortunately comes with some completely tone deaf and inappropriate comments from coworkers, family members, or complete strangers wondering why you don't want the cost or responsibility of raising a human being...
So, when a Reddit user asked, 'Child-free people, what was the weirdest/worst reaction to your life choice you have ever received from someone?' people who don't have kids were ready to share the most uncomfortable comments they've heard about living a child-free life.
1.
I am 38yo. No kids. A lady asked me the other day, 'but don't you want a purpose in life?' Without kids I guess I am just taking up space?? - Namsoaloha
2.
“You’ll change your mind” - [deleted]
3.
The topic came up in conversation, and a guy said he didn't want kids because he wanted to live life for himself. I agreed with him and he said 'Wow! That's so selfish!' Um... You don't want kids either for exactly the same reasons... - TheKnightsTippler
4.
'You'll change your mind' 'I said that when I was your age' 'I'll disown you if you get your tubes tied' 'I'm gonna laugh when you get pregnant haha' - xnerdiebirdx
5.
“Why would you not want to do what God created you to do?” - [deleted]
6.
Multiple family members have told me that they’re going to steal/flush/tamper with my birth control pills. It’s always said jokingly but...what the f*ck. - ActualGuesticles
7.
When signing up for a gym membership with my wife, they kept telling us that they have great kids programs, too. Said something along the lines of 'thats cool, but we dont have any children.' Lady responds 'well, not yet!' and then kept trying to tell me about them. I told her it wouldnt ever come up, so I didnt need to hear about the kids programs.
She picks up the hint that I am not having kids, but then spends about 5 to 6 awkward minutes trying to convince me that I'll change my mind, and that I'm just young (I'm 31). Why would I chose to have this conversation with a stranger that works the desk at the gym I am signing up for? Why did she think this was a conversation she should have with me? - SuperSiriusBlack
8.
Normally when they act as if you have nothing in your life if you don't have a kid. Especially when they are asking you to do them a favor. 'My spawn has some pointless random event at school, you don't have kids so you can do my work for me' or they act as if you don't know ANYTHING about children. I honestly hate those types of parents. - Livvylove
9.
Someone once told me: 'I could never rule out the possibility to have children, that's insane! I always liked the thought that if my life fails miserably and none of my plans work out, I'll just get pregnant and have a child and have a purpose for the rest of my life and someone who needs and loves me forever. ' Yikes. - [deleted]
10.
'I don't like kids so I don't want to have one of my own'
'You will not know until you have a kid'
'So what if I do have a kid and I still don't like kids'
'You will!!!!' - GustavoAlex7789
11.
Child free due to a medical condition, but apparently it’s still a possibility because “God works in mysterious ways.” What if that mysterious way is to make me infertile? Seems like god didn’t want me to have kids, and it seems pretty blasphemous to try for them anyway. - EngineeringQueen
12.
I was 28 and took a month off from work to go traveling by myself where this conversation happened:
Them: “you’re traveling alone?”
Me: “that’s right”
Them: “your husband let you do that?”
Me: “don’t have a husband”
Them: “so your boyfriend, he’s is okay with that?”
Me: “no boyfriend either”
hesitation
Them: “but.... surely you have kids that miss you”
Me: “nope! No kids.....”
shocked silence ... they look me up and down.... then say:
“and you’re HOW old?” - Haticha
13.
Someone asked if we were not having children because of global warming. - kylie871
14.
My brother told me to, 'suck it up and have kids. Just grow up.' I didn't even have a response because I was so taken back that he would say something so callous. He complains about his kids so much so I guess misery really does love company. - critias12
15.
People who sarcastically respond to my plans to travel or go out and do whatever with 'Oh must be nice having all that free time and money.' Why yes it is thank you and that's exactly why I don't want to mess that up by having kids - ReeG
16.
I once had someone assume my lack of desire to have my own children meant I hated kids in general. The worst part is that both of us were working as summer camp counselors, so I don’t know how she got to that conclusion.
People need to understand that hanging out with kids for a week is wildly different from being solely responsible for one for 18 years of your life, and you can enjoy the former without wanting anything to do with the latter. - [deleted]
17.
'What if you weren't brought into this world?' Then...then nothing? There's no 'me.' So it wouldn't matter. lol - [deleted]
18.
Not child free but I am a woman who doesn’t want to give birth. (I plan to foster and/or adopt.) The amount of horrified reactions. I can love a being that doesn’t share my DNA and frankly there are people who I do share blood with that I can’t stand. I want to punch the next person who says but it won’t really be your child. - quirkyknitgirl
19.
'Real love is only between a parent and child, you're never going to experience love' - HotwifingCanada
20.
Me: I don't want kids because I just don't like people.
Them: But kids aren't people!
This one's happened multiple times. Sometimes they realize what they said and backtrack, a few will just repeat it. - StarTorchlight
21.
From my mother: 'Do you really hate me so f*cking much that you'll murder my bloodline just to get back at me?' - z0mbiegrl