Child free?

[Alceste]

I guess I'll revive this thread since the OP linked it in the new child free thread.

I love kids. I do wish to be a father someday. But that's not going to happen for a long time. I have no partner and can't even take care of myself. I have severe depression, too. But in the future, when I'm a stable and healthy person, I would like to adopt. It would have to be adoption since the medication I'm on will make me sterile soon.

I do think there's a bit of a social stigma towards remaining childless, but it is lessening over time. No, my religion doesn't care either way. I don't really see one group as being better than the other. I don't see that we're on the edge of a global catastrophe because people reproduce (birth rates are dropping below replacement level so our concerns are probably misplaced on that). What I am concerned about is the quality of the parents since child abuse is a huge issue for me. I think there's a lot of people who shouldn't have kids because they're unfit for parenthood.

One thing I don't quite get is why marry if you're not planning on being parents? To me, I view marriage as largely being irrelevant as a social institution except when it comes to providing a stable foundation for raising a family. But that's just my opinion on it.

I got married because I want to spend my life with my husband, and when you're pushing 40 and have been living with the same person for several years, it sounds silly to call him your "boyfriend". It's also convenient for the bundle of legal stuff that comes with it - automatic inheritance, tax benefits, the right to make medical decisions for each other, etc.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I got married because I want to spend my life with my husband, and when you're pushing 40 and have been living with the same person for several years, it sounds silly to call him your "boyfriend". It's also convenient for the bundle of legal stuff that comes with it - automatic inheritance, tax benefits, the right to make medical decisions for each other, etc.

True. Marriage does have a bunch of legal benefits tacked onto it. I guess it's because I can only see myself marrying a person that I'm going to have a family with.

 

[Alceste]

True. Marriage does have a bunch of legal benefits tacked onto it. I guess it's because I can only see myself marrying a person that I'm going to have a family with.

If you weren't planning to have kids but still wanted to share your life with someone, no doubt you'd see it differently.

 

[Drolefille]

I guess I'll revive this thread since the OP linked it in the new child free thread.

I love kids. I do wish to be a father someday. But that's not going to happen for a long time. I have no partner and can't even take care of myself. I have severe depression, too. But in the future, when I'm a stable and healthy person, I would like to adopt. It would have to be adoption since the medication I'm on will make me sterile soon.

I do think there's a bit of a social stigma towards remaining childless, but it is lessening over time. No, my religion doesn't care either way. I don't really see one group as being better than the other. I don't see that we're on the edge of a global catastrophe because people reproduce (birth rates are dropping below replacement level so our concerns are probably misplaced on that). What I am concerned about is the quality of the parents since child abuse is a huge issue for me. I think there's a lot of people who shouldn't have kids because they're unfit for parenthood.

One thing I don't quite get is why marry if you're not planning on being parents? To me, I view marriage as largely being irrelevant as a social institution except when it comes to providing a stable foundation for raising a family. But that's just my opinion on it.

For me: So that my boyfriend and I are a single unit in the eyes of the law for our finances, particularly though for his multiple hospital visits - I need to know I can be able to see him without problems - haven't had any yet, but if he's not conscious, I need to be able to be there. Because it matters to him, even if it doesn't matter as strongly to me, culturally. Because it matters to both of our families culturally.

 

[illykitty]

One thing I don't quite get is why marry if you're not planning on being parents? To me, I view marriage as largely being irrelevant as a social institution except when it comes to providing a stable foundation for raising a family. But that's just my opinion on it.

If I wanted children, I would adopt as well. But I still do not have a desire.

As for marrying, I did it because I feel he's the love of my life. I don't view marriage as a family thing, more like a commitment and ritual to show to someone you want to spend the rest of your life with them. Well at least that's what it means to me. Children or no children, I want to be with him and grow old together. We'll have cats instead, lol.

It's also better for legal matters and if you're from another country, to stay with your partner. If you don't get married things are a lot more complicated.