Some Mad Myths about the Childfree

The childfree get some amazing questions. Two that may truly get to the childfree are, What do you do with your time? And Do Not you get bored without someone (children, grand kids, great grand children) to stress about?

The assumptions behind these questions are a bit annoying. The first question seems to imply that they must have lots of spare time because they are not folks. Not right. Now some might like a quieter life but many childfree would say their lives are easily as busy as parents lives what they do with their time just consists of different things, including but certainly not limited to dedication to their professional lives, chasing avid interests, volunteering to contribute to their communities and causes they have a belief in, and tending to family (such elders, aunt and uncle roles). The idea that the childfree have tons of free time is just a myth, but there to truth in the concept that they retain more control over their time.

Are those without children are more certain to be bored because they do not have some other person to stress about, No, this thinking just reflects the ridiculous presumption that because they do not have kids, they must not have anyone else to fret about. Like everyone else, they have family in their lives who are vital to them, that they do fret about. The childfree do not fret about their each move like elders must do when raising kids.

The assumption they're not worrying about their children also reflects the assumption that the childless must be worrying only about themselves. This concept points towards the preferred parable the childless must be self-absorbed folks. Again, not true. Because they do not have children, those without children really have more time to think beyond themselves and their swift family, to larger community, state and global issues, and use their time to be a part of disentangling these issues. And simply because they don't have children of their own does not necessarily imply they don't seem to be devoted to their family, extended families, their buddies and their children.

Instead of asking the childfree questions that imply we only focus on ourselves and have masses of time to try this, what about taking a real interest in the persons life without bias or judgment round the fact children are not some of it? When the issues arise from this place, we will have made progress on letting go of silly childfree fables.

Laura Carroll is the author of Families of 2, is an expert on the childfree choice, and debates this subject and lots more at her top childfree blog, La Compete Childfree

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