ADVERTISEMENT

Kids aren't for everyone. Some people simply have different priorities and goals that do not align with raising children. To be specific, a 2022 Michigan State University study found that 21.64% of American adults are choosing to be childfree.

Instead of condemning them, like many like to do, and saying that they will regret this after some time, let's try to understand this group instead. For that, the subreddit 'Childfree' is the perfect resource.

Created back in 2009, it now unites 1.5 million members whose posts provide a better understanding of what happens after you make this life decision.

So the big question is: do people later regret not having children? They might not.

"[We] found no evidence that older childfree adults experience any more life regret than older parents,” Jennifer Watling Neal, the co-author of the aforementioned Michigan State University study, said.

“In fact, older parents were slightly more likely to want to change something about their life.”

ADVERTISEMENT
#3

Childfree Memes

goldengateblond Report

Add photo comments
POST
Malfar
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My next door neighbor has a kid with a mental disorder. The kid likes to jump and howl. Starts at 6 am. I kinda got used already.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#4

Brag (Xpost)

greyghost6 Report

Add photo comments
POST
Luke Branwen
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've seen some tradwife post something like "I feel bad for girls in their 20s who are single and childless while I'm married with two kids at 21" and the whole Tumblr agreed her life sounds like hell.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT

Sometimes the other party might doubt their course, too. YouGov data from 2021 found that 1 in 12 British parents (8%) currently regret having kids.

Younger parents aged 25 to 34 (one imagines the most sleep-deprived group) were the most likely to feel his way, while those aged 55 and over were the least regretful.

#6

Childfree Memes

OhNoSheTwitnt Report

Add photo comments
POST
Victoria
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

NGL, this got me good. I'm cackling sitting in the train during morning commute.

View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#8

Holy S**t This Is Good

Peter_Parkingmeter Report

Add photo comments
POST
CaliCoast
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Stopping a suicide is always a very good thing. That said, this is a very good reason!

View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT

Similarly, a 2013 Gallup survey found that around 7% of American parents older than 45 wouldn’t have any kids if they “had to do it over again.”

Parents in Germany seem exceptionally unhappy: a study discovered that 19% of German mothers and 20% of fathers say that if they could decide again, they would not want to have any more children.

ADVERTISEMENT
#10

Childfree Memes

NatashaMLee Report

Add photo comments
POST
CanadianDimes
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Omg yes, I hate that! I'm single and have no kids and I still have a family! Just because they don't live with me doesn't mean they are not my family.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT

We reached out to the moderators of the subreddit, and one of them, Mel, agreed to tell us more about it.

They explained to Bored Panda that it's important to understand that "we're not the right community for parents to wax lyrical about their kids, and we're not here to provide an emotional labor 'village' for parents."

"We see limited interactions between parents and childfree people on our subreddit, and we lock comments should they become uncivil," Mel added. "We acknowledge that we are one of the bigger online childfree-centered communities, and one of our primary aims is to maintain a safe space for childfree people."

#14

Democracy

reddit.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
Luke Branwen
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"This is how liberty dies... with a thunderous scream of a newborn."

View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#15

So Good

grrlindz Report

Add photo comments
POST
Elio
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh look, parenting advice from the dude in charge of the religious institution that has frequent scandals for protecting pedophiles and giving them access to victims.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

The ultimate takeaway from all the research and people's activity on the subreddit could be that having kids isn't good or bad per se. It may sound cliché but there is more than one way to live a happy and fulfilling life.

ADVERTISEMENT

Parenthood should be a choice. Not an inevitable duty.

As my colleague Jonas wrote in our earlier publication on the subreddit 'Childfree', the grown-up thing to do is to respect each other, even if we might do things differently.

#17

Yeet

momomcsherbbles Report

Add photo comments
POST
Tim R
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The smile on the baby's face is what made me laugh WAY too hard at this.....

View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT

As for the future of 'Childfree,' Mel said the moderators anticipate the subreddit will "hold steady" for some time, and continue to see slow but consistent growth.

"We do every so often see trends and changes in posted content and we expect these ebbs and flows to continue. For example, some weeks I'll have 20 new submissions for the childfree-friendly doctors list and others I'll have 3," they explained.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
#25

Saw This In Suspiciouslyspecific. Thought It Belonged Here

EmmaStonewallJackson Report

Add photo comments
POST
Jenny Hornig
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sometimes, when my boyfriend and I have our Familyday on Sundays, I look at him, sitting in front of his playstation in cozy clothes and me, laptop on my legs and no pants, both of us munching on snacks, our cats peacefully sleeping around us, and think: "A kid would really ruin this"

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#26

Best Costume Year Round

alpinewandern Report

Add photo comments
POST
Dumpster Fire
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I read that wrong. I read it as -SEX WHENEVER YOU WANT (DOES NOT INCLUDE S****Y F*****G KIDS), one sentence.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#27

"Enjoy The Remainder Of Your Lonely Existence."

reddit.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
whodunnitfan2013
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Since my hysterectomy, I laugh when going past the baby needs, family planning, and pad/tampon aisles.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#28

It Stops With You

reddit.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
Elio
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yay, I'm not making more bipolar alcoholic drug addicts! But even if that was a non-isssue, still wouldn't want kids.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#29

I Made This! I Wish More People Around Me Were Having Cats Instead Of Human Children!

AvatarMew Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#30

Childfree Memes

FirstGentleman Report

Add photo comments
POST
Lyone Fein
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Every once in a while I look around and I just can't believe people are still having children.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#31

And Then You Proceed To Fling It Out The Window

-PsychedelicSloth- Report

Add photo comments
POST
Malfar
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There's still a difference between "I am not planning on being a parent" and "I hate kids with a passion".

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#35

Hilarious

devBowman Report

Add photo comments
POST
sturmwesen
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I call them glue kids if the parents try to fix their broken relationship by having a baby. They seldom work. I know some one who is trying for glue kid #2 ... at this point I am taking bets.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#36

Me Irl Af 😂

BEZthePEZ Report

Add photo comments
POST
Dark Pearl
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

PARKS AND RECREATION <3333333333333 (also same, kids make things Gross with a capital G)

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#37

*tokyo Drift Starts Playing*

trapford-stretch Report

Add photo comments
POST
Chris Jones
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I live in a small close of 12 houses. About half have children. Yet they're the ones driving in fast without worrying about what might be in the road. Wonder if it's because they know where their kids are and don't care about anyone elses.

View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#40

Mom Is Going To Be A Little Dissapointed

PublicMail5 Report

Add photo comments
POST
Jon Steensen
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Noted, now we have heard your opinion, go on and move along. Getting a child, only to please your parents' needs a couple of times each month is a really stupid idea, when you will pay the price of putting in a lot of hard work each day. The cost benefit analysis is simply too scewed in this context, and it surprice me how many "grandparents" completely fail to notice this when they put up their demands. Children or no children, that is entirely your decition to make and it is none of their business. Trying to get their will by pressuring/guilting you is a nasty move to make.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
Continue reading with Bored Panda Premium
Unlimited content
Ad-free browsing
Dark mode
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#41

Wife And I Heard It The Other Day

illusive_guy Report

Add photo comments
POST
#42

Finally Found A Place To Post This

The_Frenchiest_Fry84 Report

Add photo comments
POST
Luke Branwen
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One of the worst things about this whole topic is how many people treat having a child like some mandatory milestone instead of something you have to genuinely desire. IMO there wouldn't be so many f#cked-up people if only people who genuinely WANT children had them.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#43

Spotted In The Wild, Thought You Guys Would Find This Funny

reddit.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
Inella‍
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

“Look, mommy, I almost chopped my fingers all the way off! Yay me! 🤪”

View more commentsArrow down menu
#44

Nails On A Chalkboard Man-

shizzlebuzzbubble Report

Add photo comments
POST
cerinamroth
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think most childfree people aren't such knobs that they don't want to talk to a 3YO - they just don't want it to be their 3YO, which is understandable! Most childfree people I know are very happy to be involved as loving aunties and uncles.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#45

It's That Simple

devBowman Report

Add photo comments
POST
ADVERTISEMENT
#46

A Purse Full Of Love I Guess

Excellent_Patience Report

Add photo comments
POST
Eldritch_catt0
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's probably one of the main reasons why I don't want kind. I am really protective of my stuff. You break, scratch, dirty something and you are automatically my enemy. Especially since I do art. Can't even imagine the rage I'd feel if I found a pice of mine covered in ugly doodles:(

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#47

Parents, It's Not Going To Happen!

Excellent_Patience Report

Add photo comments
POST
#48

Kids Are Fun

reddit.com Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#49

See The Meme! 😂

99zakya Report

Add photo comments
POST
#50

Gotta Find Me Some New Friends Now

patiolinguist Report

Add photo comments
POST
Luke Branwen
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A few days ago I've seen my elementary school classmate with two children and I was like "HOW? Aren't WE still kids?" It always takes a while before I remember I'm 27

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT