Join Early Retirement Today
View Poll Results: Are you a parent and/or step-parent?
I am female, and a mother or step-mother or both 20 17.24%
I am female, and not a mother or step-mother 22 18.97%
I am male, and a father or step-father or both 41 35.34%
I am male and not a father or step-father 33 28.45%
Voters: 116. You may not vote on this poll

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Kids or Not?
Old 06-25-2010, 02:57 PM   #1
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
haha's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Hooverville
Posts: 22,983
Kids or Not?

Let's do a poll!
__________________
"As a general rule, the more dangerous or inappropriate a conversation, the more interesting it is."-Scott Adams
haha is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 06-25-2010, 03:17 PM   #2
Gone but not forgotten
Khan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 6,924
Send a message via AIM to Khan
Decide when I was ~10 that I would never have any.
__________________
"Knowin' no one nowhere's gonna miss us when we're gone..."
Khan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2010, 03:19 PM   #3
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
haha's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Hooverville
Posts: 22,983
Quote:
Originally Posted by Khan View Post
Decide when I was ~10 that I would never have any.
People are all different. When my wife decided to stop at 2, I was quite sad for a while.

Ha
__________________
"As a general rule, the more dangerous or inappropriate a conversation, the more interesting it is."-Scott Adams
haha is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2010, 03:22 PM   #4
Gone but not forgotten
Khan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 6,924
Send a message via AIM to Khan
Quote:
Originally Posted by haha View Post
People are all different. When my wife decided to stop at 2, I was quite sad for a while.

Ha
We're all different. I'm just annoyed when some people inflict their opinions on me.
__________________
"Knowin' no one nowhere's gonna miss us when we're gone..."
Khan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2010, 03:35 PM   #5
Moderator Emeritus
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 12,894
No kids for us. I used to work with kids when I was younger and I do look after my niece from time to time but I do not feel the urge to have any kids of my own. DW is pretty much the same way, great with other people's kids, but no desire to have kids of her own. Other people might not understand our choices and that's OK, I don't understand their choices either most of the time.
FIREd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2010, 03:39 PM   #6
gone traveling
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 3,864
Quote:
Originally Posted by Khan View Post
I'm just annoyed when some people inflict their opinions on me.
Isn't that what this forum is all about?
Westernskies is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2010, 03:39 PM   #7
Moderator Emeritus
Rich_by_the_Bay's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 8,827
Father of 2, GF of 4. Those human beings, along with DW, are the center of my life.

I used to wonder where I'd be had the kids not come along, but it's pretty hard to imagine. I guess it must be comparable to nonparents wondering what things would have been like with 20+ years of kids under the roof.
__________________
Rich
San Francisco Area
ESR'd March 2010. FIRE'd January 2011.

As if you didn't know..If the above message contains medical content, it's NOT intended as advice, and may not be accurate, applicable or sufficient. Don't rely on it for any purpose. Consult your own doctor for all medical advice.
Rich_by_the_Bay is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2010, 04:14 PM   #8
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,323
There is a saying about wives and husbands that goes something like "Divorce? No. Murder...yes." I think there should be some saying like that for parents with kids. Mine could argue until my head was twizzling around at times. Just lucky for him he had a mother who loved him totally and pretty much unconditionally I say...or he'd been in deep poop.
I wanted to be a mother. I had alot of fun with my kid. I enjoyed him "most" days. But I cannot tell you what my motivation was to be a mother at all...it was just a need I had to take care of someone I guess. Go figure?
But for folks who don't want children, I am your biggest booster and believer that not everyone needs to have kids or should have kids--especially if they don't want them. It is definitely NOT for everyone..and that's why God invented both chocolate and vanilla.
Again, what a boring world this would be if we were all alike.
Orchidflower is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2010, 04:25 PM   #9
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 6,682
Quote:
Originally Posted by Khan View Post
Decide when I was ~10 that I would never have any.
You beat me by 10 years. Two years of being a day camp counselor pointed me in the childfree direction. Most important decision I ever made.
__________________
Retired in late 2008 at age 45. Cashed in company stock, bought a lot of shares in a big bond fund and am living nicely off its dividends. IRA, SS, and a pension await me at age 60 and later. No kids, no debts.

"I want my money working for me instead of me working for my money!"
scrabbler1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2010, 04:40 PM   #10
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
travelover's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,328
I voted no kids, even though I have a 32 yo stepdaughter. She was long gone when I showed up.
travelover is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2010, 04:52 PM   #11
Gone but not forgotten
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Sarasota,fl.
Posts: 11,447
I had two children who were the center of my universe and it has now expanded to include my grandson and of course my SO . It's a life choice and not for everyone but it was the right choice for me .
Moemg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2010, 10:55 PM   #12
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
harley's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: No fixed abode
Posts: 8,764
I seriously expected to get Rickrolled when I clicked on this link from Ha on the Child-free Study thread.

One kid. Didn't want to have kids at first, but after she came I always wished we'd have more. Didn't work out that way, but no regrets.It's been a trip, overall. One granddaughter too, and she's a pistol.

I don't know how they can measure happiness, though. It would be interesting to see their criteria.
__________________
"Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement." - Anonymous (not Will Rogers or Sam Clemens)
DW and I - FIREd at 50 (7/06), living off assets
harley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2010, 06:17 AM   #13
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
donheff's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 11,317
Interesting results. I expected a higher percentage would be parents. I would speculate that it is just a self selection bias - a fair number of people choosing not to have kids may be thinking forward to FIRE.
__________________
Idleness is fatal only to the mediocre -- Albert Camus
donheff is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2010, 06:24 AM   #14
Full time employment: Posting here.
Cattusbabe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 816
Me. No kids. Never wanted them....I'm the oldest daughter and had to look after younger siblings growing up. What A Drag.

He. Two kids from previous marriage. Both grown and on their own when we met. Guys with kids were a no go when I was still dating.
__________________
A todos los amantes del mundo. No importa el color de su piel, la pasion es universal.
_______________

La tavola e il letto non hanno restrizioni.
_____________
Any day your on this side of the grass is a good day.
Cattusbabe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2010, 06:43 AM   #15
Full time employment: Posting here.
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: chicago burbs
Posts: 806
We have one kid - a soon-to-be 17 yr. old son
golfnut is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2010, 07:34 AM   #16
Full time employment: Posting here.
antmary's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Northern California
Posts: 549
I have two grown children - I adore them! There is nothing like grown "kid-love!" My son still comes over and mows the lawn! My daughter makes special treats for us and brings them over. Yes, I can say, they are the loves of my life.
antmary is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2010, 07:44 AM   #17
Recycles dryer sheets
Tesaje's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Frederick
Posts: 333
No kids. Just the furkids. I didn't not want them but I didn't want to enuf to make happen either. No regrets.
__________________
I FIREd myself at start of 2010!
Tesaje is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2010, 07:45 AM   #18
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Fireup2020's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,250
I answered yes (step-mother) because when I was married, I was a full-time step mother of three (all grown now) and still maintain relationships with them.

No kidlets of my own. No heroic measure to make it happen or not. If I am supposed to have them, it will happen. (age 40 now)
__________________
Make no mistake, my friend, it takes more than money to make men rich. - A. P. Gouthey
Fireup2020 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2010, 07:59 AM   #19
Administrator
MichaelB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 40,585
I am the father of 3, the FIL of 2, and the grandfather of 1. I couldn't imagine life without them and hope for many more years and more grandkids.
MichaelB is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2010, 08:35 AM   #20
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Los Angeles area
Posts: 1,708
Even when I was a kid I did not like hanging out with kids. Always preferred dogs.

Was thrilled when a friend found a doctor who would do V's on young unmarrieds with no kids (this was pre-internet, and not easy to find) to seal the deal.
__________________
learn, work, save, invest, fire
CyclingInvestor is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Hi Kids Ponks Hi, I am... 54 12-23-2006 01:55 PM
Well, kids brewer12345 Young Dreamers 11 02-16-2006 12:06 PM
ER WITH KIDS?? billystu Life after FIRE 30 12-13-2004 02:33 PM
What do you tell your kids? Familywu Life after FIRE 10 10-11-2004 07:42 PM

» Quick Links

 
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:03 PM.
 
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.