While the joys of motherhood resonate with many women, there are ladies who are decided on not having a child. Here, we list down personalities who are child-free by choice as they explain why it can be awesome, too.
Heart Evangelista On Not Having Kids
Heart Evangelista once clapped back at people who kept on asking her why she still doesn’t have a child despite being married for years. The artist said “Chill. Not your uterus.”
Heart further explained that motherhood should not be the only source of happiness for women, and even expressed: “My goodness. What are you going to do when your kids have their own lives?”
The fact that someone still asks questions why some people are child-free by choice is proof enough that there’s still a stigma to being child-free. Despite this, many women have already decided that motherhood is not for them.
Take these female celebrities, for instance:
Miley Cyrus and Her Concerns Over The Environment
The actress and singer-songwriter said in an interview that she is child-free by choice because of the kind of environment we’re handing down to them.
Just how bad is the state of our environment now?
The World Health Organization says outdoor air pollution kills about 4.2 million every year. According to WHO, 844 million people lack a basic drinking-water service. Over 2 billion people live in water-stressed countries, which is expected to be exacerbated in some regions as a result of climate change and population growth.
So, we can understand when Miley said “Until I feel like my kid would live on an earth with fish in the water, I’m not bringing in another person to deal with that.”
Oprah Winfrey Feels She Wouldn’t Be A Good Mother
Considering how sweet and motherly Oprah speaks, one would think that she’s fine with kids. And she is. Still, the host said she doesn’t think she would be a good mother because she needs them to talk to her and tell her what’s wrong.
Having a baby just doesn’t feel right for her. And it turns out that Oprah isn’t alone in thinking that babies are not for her.
Some women even feel isolated because they are child-free by choice but their circle of friends are at a stage when they’re taking care of their children. Experts say there’s nothing wrong with the decision to be child-free.
Cameron Diaz Thinks Being A Parent Is “So Much Work”
Cameron Diaz’ reason for not having kids is because of the “work” that comes with it. In a report, Cameron said, “A baby – that’s all day, every day, for 18 years.”
Those who report feeling stigma as a result of being childfree note experiencing pity and criticism (Mollen 2006), being criticized for being too involved with work activities (Mueller and Yoder 1999), and being perceived as selfish, cold, and materialistic (Park 2002).
Filipinos are notably family-oriented, and many parents take care of their kids even when they’re already adults. As a parent you’re responsible for their shelter, clothing, holistic health, and education.
When Cameron said, “It’s so much work to have children,” it’s true.
People Without Kids Can Be Just As Happy As Those Who Have
Reasons for being child-free by choice. Some, like Cameron Diaz, don’t want the work attached to being a mother. Others don’t think that child-rearing is for them. In one qualitative study, Carmichael and Whittaker (2007) found that those had ‘‘chosen childlessness’’ cited the following reasons for not wanting children: an aversion to the lifestyle changes that come with parenthood, an explicit rejection of the maternal role, selfishness, and either feeling unsuited or proficient but unwilling to take on the role of parent. Of course, there are women who can’t have children due to health and financial reasons.
Whatever the reason is behind the decision to be child-free, please remember that people without kids can be just as happy and fulfilled as those who choose to be parents.
A study even proved this, showing that there’s no difference between the life satisfaction of parents and people who choose to be child-free.
Key Takeaways
Are you child-free by choice but worried about the stigma attached to it? You’re not alone – both in your decision to not have kids and in feeling the stigma. But, keep in mind that not wanting children can be awesome, too. In fact, child-free people can be just as happy as people who raise kids.
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