As a Mother, I Celebrate Childfree Women
Of all the divides that plague our country, here’s one I think we can bridge
I’ll admit it: I’ve made a few snarky comments about childfree women in my time.
For instance, I have, on some occasions, shared my opinion that those who are childfree should never feel entitled to complain about anything because they get to sleep in on Saturday morning. As everyone knows, anyone who gets to sleep in on Saturday morning — or any day of the week, really — couldn’t possibly have any real problems.
I know I’m not alone in my snark, and I also happen to know that childfree women have shared a few snarky opinions about me. Resentment between childfree and childrearing women can run surprisingly deep. Like most forms of resentment, it’s both understandable and ridiculous. And like most forms of resentment, we’d be better off without it.
If you were to ask me why I chose to have children, I honestly wouldn’t have a great answer.
When I was in my 20s, I was technically a “childfree woman,” but when I use the term, I’m not including young people who are still figuring things out. I hadn’t made a conscious decision not to have children. I just wasn’t having any children yet.
