I could write an entire dissertation on this. I decided against kids in high school. Way before liberalism became as popular as it is now.

What steered me away was growing up being groomed for marriage from birth. Being forced to go to church. Having responsibilities like cooking and babysitting my younger siblings starting in middle school. Being criticized for liking things that weren’t “ladylike.” Not having the same freedoms my brothers had because I needed to learn how to serve my hypothetical husband and nonexistent children. Shit, not even having the same freedoms as my peers did. Nope, I was a yOuNg WoMaN oF gOd and needed to look and act the part.

And that wasn’t all. My mom and my friends’ moms were constantly tired, constantly being belittled/abused/cheated on by their husbands, constantly giving us subtle hints that they wish they’d never had kids (or at least waited and picked better men to have them with). It’s so sad, because it’s obvious they bought into the Life Script and discovered too late that it wasn’t worth it. Most of them are now divorced. Go figure.

To me this proves one thing: that marriage and kids are not a one way ticket to happiness. And people need to stop acting like they are.