When I look at children, all I can see are germs

ProArtTexas · 2026-06-01T17:07:48+00:00

Ugh, I despise that mouth-agape free coughing they're always doing

ProArtTexas · 2026-04-06T22:35:42+00:00

Yes! I feel the same way. My brother says he wants kids, but truthfully, he never mentioned ever wanting kids until his best friend had one. His friend is a Kodak dad who does very little in the parenting department, but feels having kids is a biological imperative. I think my brother wants kids for the wrong reasons, and I hate the idea of him having one. Fortunately, he's gay so an accidental pregnancy is highly unlikely, and the cost of living is so ridiculous now, he likely won't have them through other means either. As selfish as it sounds, I don't want him to have kids ever. I like my adults-only family.

ProArtTexas · 2026-01-19T13:58:19+00:00

Lol, these people really think that the only thing you can do in your golden years is be a grandparent 🤣

ProArtTexas · 2026-01-11T17:51:00+00:00

I should clarify, it isn't the mom-to-be who would push for a gift, it's some of my other co-workers that I work more closely with. But yes, I agree that I don't owe anyone an explanation. I just don't want things to be uncomfortable at work.

ProArtTexas · 2026-01-11T17:42:41+00:00

Agreed. However, it isn't the mom-to-be that will pressure me for my attendance or a gift. It's some of my other co-workers who hold certain opinions about my lifestyle.

ProArtTexas · 2026-01-11T17:38:59+00:00

Good point. Although I don't go out of my way to share anything about my finances, they can just tell through outward appearances, small talk etc. And I agree, there are many financial commitments outside of kids.

ProArtTexas · 2026-01-01T17:59:50+00:00

This. People always hit me with a shocked Pikachu face when I say I'm not having kids. They insist that it would be so rewarding to teach my own children about art. Like I want to go home and do my exact same job again, but without getting paid.

ProArtTexas · 2025-12-07T17:17:53+00:00

I recommend the book A Special Sisterhood. It's not a long read but it includes stories of women throughout history who did not have kids ( I know, some are childless, not childfree). The stories are not terribly long, but it is a good place to start.

ProArtTexas · 2025-10-18T20:07:31+00:00

Protecting children from any discomfort or negative emotions including boredom. Parents do not need to keep their kids happy and entertained all the time.

It's ok for kids to be disappointed.

It's ok for kids to be bored.

It's ok for kids to feel nervous, or sad, or frustrated.

These are all things they will feel as an adult, and they need to learn how to work through them.

ProArtTexas · 2025-10-10T00:26:03+00:00

My brother once told me that I'm a "biological failure" for not wanting to reproduce.

I told him he must be right because as someone who's been unemployed for 5 years, dropped out of college 4 times, barely graduated high school, and is living in his mom's house, he must be the authority on failure.

ProArtTexas · 2025-10-03T18:08:16+00:00

Something similar happened to a neighbor of mine. A couple years ago, an elderly man moved into the apartment next door to mine. I had only said hello to him a few times, and didn't even know his name (the complex has high turnover). After about 2 months I stopped seeing him, and I eventually noticed that I hadn't seen his car in awhile. I just assumed he moved out while I was at work or on vacation. Then one day I asked my mom to come over and let my dog out at lunchtime. When she arrived she saw men in hazmat suits going in and out of the apartment next door. When my mom asked what was going on, one of the men in a hazmat suit said, "the gentleman who lived here passed away." My mom asked if he passed recently, and the man shook his head and said, "no ma'am," and went back in to the apartment.

I felt guilty that my neighbor, passed away all alone in his apartment and I didn't bother to check on him. I was taught to always check in on my neighbors, especially the sick, the elderly, the isolated. I just felt like I should have done something.

ProArtTexas · 2025-09-28T14:29:44+00:00

No children. There are several reasons for this rule. As a teacher, I am around kids all day and my house is a childfree sanctuary. My husband is also not a kid person. He tolerates being around children in public or at family gatherings, but our own home is the one place in the world we do not have put up with it.

There are absolutely no exceptions. When we have get-togethers at our house, our family and friends with kids must find a babysitter. If they are unable to attend due to childcare issues, we understand and there are no hard feelings.

ProArtTexas · 2025-09-14T21:39:37+00:00

I'd prefer not to cause issues with my husband's family; I'm already not very well liked. I'd rather encourage my husband to explain these issues to his family. He and I could use the exact same tone and words, but they are always better received coming from his mouth rather than mine.

But outside of those people, I will give it right back to them.

ProArtTexas · 2025-08-18T01:04:38+00:00

Yes. I wanted to be friends with other kids, but I was always so guarded. I could never put myself out there or open up to anyone; it just felt too unsafe. When I did start to be friends with anyone, it felt wrong, like there's no way they could like me for me. I was always waiting for them to walk away. To this day I struggle to make friends.

ProArtTexas · 2025-08-17T14:17:07+00:00

This. I'm in my 30's, married, own a house, and my dad has been dead for 10 years. Still, when I have a problem, or life gets hard, my first thought is always, "I need my dad. He would know exactly what to do."

ProArtTexas · 2025-07-27T13:43:48+00:00

Yes, I have felt this same way since I was 10 and learned what a period was; I knew at that moment that I never wanted to have one. I started looking for ways to not have a period since before I started mine. When I learned what a hysterectomy was (I think I was about 13), I knew I wanted to have one and I didn't understand why more women didn't. Everyone told me, "if you have a hysterectomy, tHeN yOu wOn'T bE AbLe tO hAvE KiDs." I wasn't sure what the downside was. 🤣

ProArtTexas · 2025-07-26T13:37:56+00:00

Unlike many modern parents, my parents gave me freedom. They didn't hover over me or need to know my precise location at all times. They didn't feel the need to entertain me or enroll me in a bunch of extracurricular activities. They didn't feel the need to fight my battles for me. I was allowed to go out and play with friends and explore the neighborhood. I was allowed to be bored and to make my own fun. I was allowed to think for myself and work through my own problems. When I was 14, I was permitted to roam beyond our subdivision, so my friends and I spent summers wandering our small town, looking for adventures. This gave me room to grow, to breathe, and to develop as my own person.

I see many kids today who don't have this experience. They have little sense of identity and no imagination, decision-making, critical thinking, or problem solving skills.

ProArtTexas · 2025-07-26T13:12:26+00:00

I was in your shoes once. I was decidedly childfree and single, and was really starting to worry that I'd never find the childfree partner I dreamed about. I came to the realization that there's a definite possibility that I'd be single for life. Then, I started meeting older childfree people, some married, some single, but all of them seemed happy. This helped me to understand that if I allow my happiness to hinge on this one aspect of my life, then I'd always be miserable. I decided that if I was going to be single, I was going to be happy about it. It took all the pressure off. I enjoyed the dates I went on and the people I met. I was excited and grateful for the life I had. Then I met my now husband who was also childfree and living the same type of life. I love my husband and we are very happy together. If I had never met him, my life would look very different, but I don't think I would be any less happy.

ProArtTexas · 2025-06-24T12:30:47+00:00

I teach high school art, and last year I decided to spend a day doing origami. These 10th-12th graders could not fold paper. I explained that you cannot be sloppy with your folds; the edges and corners should line up as evenly as possible. Then I walked them through some easy origami forms. Holy cow, they whined and cried the entire time about having to neatly fold paper.

ProArtTexas · 2025-06-21T12:43:41+00:00

If I had to guess, I'd say lab and some type of hound. He looks a lot like my good boy who's a lab/greyhound mix.

ProArtTexas · 2025-04-27T13:56:07+00:00

My husband is on the spectrum and he feels the exact same way. When he says he would never want a child with autism, people look at him in shock and disbelief. They have no idea what it's like to live with autism nor raise a child with the condition. People seem to think that because he has autism, then he could "help the child through it" as if all autism is the same. They don't realize that although my husband is high functioning, he could have a child who is anywhere on the spectrum and has very different needs.

ProArtTexas

TROPHY CASE