So...it's Mother's Day here in the US. Which means because I'm a female of childbearing age, everyone feels the need to wish me a Happy Mother's Day. And that's fine. Except for when they follow it up with 20 questions about why I don't have or want kids.

Them: Happy Mother's Day! Me: Thanks smile Them: How many kids do you have? (Already assuming I have children simply bc I'm female and of age.) Me: I don't have kids. I have kittycats. Them: You don't have children?!?!? SUPERSHOCKEDFACE Why not?!?!?! Me: Because I don't want to have children. I have cats - they're my kids. Them: But you don't want kids?!?!?!?!? Me: No. I don't. silently fuming now Them: Oh, you'll change your mind later when you find the right man. Me: I'd like to find the right man, but I don't want kids. Them: You'll change your mind. Trust me. Me: I won't. Promise.

I have had variations of that conversation four or more times today already and I've only been at work an hour and a half. Why the fuck do I have to have children just because I have a damn uterus?! Don't get me wrong - I'm happy I'm female. But just because I'm a straight female of a fine age to have kids DOES NOT FUCKING MEAN I WANT THEM. I have no problem with other peoples' children (when they are raised right and behave themselves in public) but I do. not. fucking. want. any. of. my. own. WHY IS THAT SO HARD TO BELIEVE?! I swear, if one more person says I'll change my mind, I will lose my shit.

insert nice long loud scream of utter frustration right about here

I feel you. I know that a lot of my old friends from highschool are pregnant or had a child (most of them were younger than me and I'm almost 22). I don't want children and it has nothing to do with me being bi, being with a man or a woman. I am just not fit to take care of someone else 24/7 and to provide for them. I usually just nod and leave them because I have no fucks given.

I just really don't understand why people feel the need to butt into other people's business. Why does it matter if someone doesn't want to have kids?! Like, is it affecting them? No.

I always thought I'd want to have kids, but I find that as I'm getting older I'm slowly moving away from the idea... I mean, I wouldn't say I was entirely opposed to having children some day, but it's definitely not on my list of things to do right now.

I've been asked those very same questions as well. So I know very well how you feel. I have no tolerance for kids, every time a kid screams in a store I cringe at the sound. I have trouble taking care of myself at times, I shudder to think if I had to take care of a kid as well.

LOL.

MY ONE AUNT THINKS I'M A LESBIAN BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE FOUR KIDS RUNNING AROUND ME AT 25.

The whole problem of that? I'm asexual. I'm not interested. Therein the insult. Like somehow, my life will be utterly incomplete without children hounding me for decades! However will I cope!

Said as I'm looking longingly at a villa in Tuscany.

I get that occasionally. "So when are you and your husband going to start your family?!"

What's a less awkward way of saying "We've been trying to. For two years. We've had several miscarriages. We're being seen by a fertility centre. PS: You're a dick and I'm gonna go cry now."?

People need to learn that asking extremely personal questions like that can be hurtful and insensitive, especially when they begin to pry after you give the only answer you're comfortable giving. Some people have their reasons for not having children, and it may not be any of your damned business as to why that is.

- I've had a few people tell me happy mother's day as well at work, but no one was being rude when I said I didn't have kids. There was one person that actually said I was smart for waiting to be financially stable and ready in order to adopt any kids. And, he said I was helping the world when I said I don't want any biological children.

I really don't want kids right now nor in the near future. Screaming kids hurt my ears really bad and I have absolutely no patience for a badly behaved one. And a poopy baby... nope. Just nope. And, I'm not emotionally fit to take care of an older kid neither.

But yeah, old fashioned people don't seem to understand not every woman wants to be tied down by kids.

RIGHT?! I've been asked if I'm a lesbian before. I guess because I have short hair and don't want kids that automatically makes me gay. Idiots.

hugs I'd just glare at them and storm off. Actually, when my parents got married and their friends were having kids, and they weren't, they actually got asked "Do you even know how to make babies?" Talk about insensitive jerks. My mom had a thyroid problem that screwed up her hormones and she didn't end up having me until she was 40, when the change of life started and her hormones changed. I sincerely hope things go well for you and you can have the children you want soon. I wish you and your hubby the best!

Well, obviously my short hair is my defining sexual characteristic! Despite the fact that I make this haircut look absolutely adorable and I implore any man to say the same about his short hair.

HIGH FIVE We rock this shit, lol.

We do and we look cute while doing so. sagenod

Damn right. sagenod2

I'm sorry that you were bombarded with people's expectations that you will want to have children one day even though you keep telling them you don't want any. You'd think that we'd be a little more evolved by now. My grown adult daughter says she doesn't want kids and I told her that that is absolutely fine, I only want her to be happy and I don't care about the rest.

The only thing I made sure she understood was that if she starts getting serious about someone, then that that is a conversation she'll have to have because it would really suck if she fell in love with someone that really wanted them and she didn't.

The best of luck in life no matter what shape it takes. It's your life. :)

Sometimes I have a feeling that I live in a secret cult where every woman who doesn't get children at the age of 23 is killed and fed to their weird god of maternity. Uhhh.

- Welp, time for me to get sacrificed. Better than having kids that I can't take care of.

Thank you :)

That's...a creepy way to put it. XD

Oh, mann! I was wished Happy Mother's Day twice within an hour at the register -- and it wasn't even Mother's Day, it was the day before! :) I politely told them I was the "mother-aunt" to my nephew and niece. It seemed to placate the two ladies I talked to, and neither seemed to question the fact that I didn't have kids of my own. There is, however, a girl at work who is a few years older than me, has been dating her guy for ten years and gets grilled every time she goes to lunch with a particular coworker who is years younger than us with a child. Why aren't you married, why don't y'all have kids, what are you doing with your life.

I don't understand, personally, why it's taboo to have a child so young but once you're in your late twenties and early thirties, people are shocked you don't have children.

Most people who ask me about kids once never do again....could be because I mention ducktaping/shrink wrapping them and hanging them on a nail...I really REALLY hate kids X_x of course there's also my favorite back up line of "I don't want to F*ck up my life just to please society"

I totally feel you. I've even been told that I'm not a "real" adult because I don't have kids. Like... WTF? Seriously?

(And don't even get me started on the guy who followed me around a library once, telling me over and over that I'd be a "great mom," when he'd literally only talked to me once before for ten minutes. Son, you don't know me, back the fuck off.)

Don't get me wrong, I don't hate kids. I just don't want any. And having them would be a pretty selfish thing for me to do, anyway, considering all of my genetic risk factors - why would I want to risk inflicting grotesquely painful ovarian cysts and/or crippling mental illness on a 100% innocent human being? Just so I could brag about having reproduced? Nah, I'll pass.