Childless in your Late 20s
It is an awkward situation to be childless in your late 20s; when everyone around you seems to be having kids left and right. It feels like most of the people I knew in high school/college already have kids or about to have their first one. The norm in our society is to grow up and have kids of your own which is what creates this awkward feeling in people that don't have kids. Attempting to find people in their 20s with kids is like playing Where's Waldo, except it is really easy to find Waldo
One of the things that I have experienced as a late 20s adult with no kids is that family reunions can be annoying. Your family is constantly asking when you plan on settling down and starting a family. I always find myself giving the same answer, "Oh, I am too young for that." At work, all of my coworkers have kids which means that they often discuss tips on parenting or sharing amusing stories about their kids. Meanwhile, in my head, I am planning my weekend plans or deciding which movie to watch on Netflix while eating copious amounts of queso dip.
These anecdotes bring me to the reasons as to why I don't have kids yet or probably never will. I am selfish and self-centered. I think that in order for someone to become a good parent; one has to put another human's interests ahead of their own. Currently, I am not in that state of mind which I think it's okay. I think that is what your 20s is all about: finding yourself and overcoming those egocentric tendencies. I also fear that if I do end up having kids; the possibility that they grow up in a broken home is a reality. A broken home is a possibility when one considers how high divorce rates are. No one can guarantee that your marriage will not end in divorce. A kid growing up with stepparents will not have the same childhood as the kid growing up with their biological parents. It's just not the same. I should know since I grew up in a broken home; it just never felt right.
I also don't think that everyone should be a parent. Have you ever heard the expression, "Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should." Nowadays, people have kids for all the wrong reasons. Whether it be to save a failing relationship or trying to add meaning to their lives. A child should not be used as a project for a person to find fulfillment in their lives. Simply put, some people are not fit to be parents, yet they still do it.
I want to leave you with what I think is the best way I can illustrate what it feels like to be childless when everyone around you is having babies. You know that feeling when you are the one person from your group of friends which hasn't seen that one movie yet. They are all trying to discuss the movie's highlights but doing it away from you in order to avoid spoiling the movie for you. All why question you why you still haven't seen the hottest movie out right now. That is what it feels like to be a late 20s adult with no kids.
Random fact of the day: Animals will not eat another animal that has been hit by a lightning strike!
One of the things that I have experienced as a late 20s adult with no kids is that family reunions can be annoying. Your family is constantly asking when you plan on settling down and starting a family. I always find myself giving the same answer, "Oh, I am too young for that." At work, all of my coworkers have kids which means that they often discuss tips on parenting or sharing amusing stories about their kids. Meanwhile, in my head, I am planning my weekend plans or deciding which movie to watch on Netflix while eating copious amounts of queso dip.
These anecdotes bring me to the reasons as to why I don't have kids yet or probably never will. I am selfish and self-centered. I think that in order for someone to become a good parent; one has to put another human's interests ahead of their own. Currently, I am not in that state of mind which I think it's okay. I think that is what your 20s is all about: finding yourself and overcoming those egocentric tendencies. I also fear that if I do end up having kids; the possibility that they grow up in a broken home is a reality. A broken home is a possibility when one considers how high divorce rates are. No one can guarantee that your marriage will not end in divorce. A kid growing up with stepparents will not have the same childhood as the kid growing up with their biological parents. It's just not the same. I should know since I grew up in a broken home; it just never felt right.
I also don't think that everyone should be a parent. Have you ever heard the expression, "Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should." Nowadays, people have kids for all the wrong reasons. Whether it be to save a failing relationship or trying to add meaning to their lives. A child should not be used as a project for a person to find fulfillment in their lives. Simply put, some people are not fit to be parents, yet they still do it.
I want to leave you with what I think is the best way I can illustrate what it feels like to be childless when everyone around you is having babies. You know that feeling when you are the one person from your group of friends which hasn't seen that one movie yet. They are all trying to discuss the movie's highlights but doing it away from you in order to avoid spoiling the movie for you. All why question you why you still haven't seen the hottest movie out right now. That is what it feels like to be a late 20s adult with no kids.
Random fact of the day: Animals will not eat another animal that has been hit by a lightning strike!
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