Why on earth are some people still having kids now?

It's literally the meaning of life...

Being a good parent is something most of the population has become incapable of.

Millennials are easily the most narcissistic and selfish generation in human history.

Narcissists make terrible parents as they can't even comprehend loving something more than themselves.

CarlyRaeJepsensMalort wrote:

Flag dawg, i was basically just making a joke that i expected you to criticize the OP for paying extra principal on his mortgage instead of throwing that extra money into VTSAX or similar instead. i thought that was pretty standard flagpole financial advice. i.e., since the interest rate on OPs mortgage is almost certainly lower than the average rate of return on the s&p, it makes more sense to put your money there instead of paying down the low interest mortgage.

but anyway, thanks for the long-winded paragraph about the cost of kids. i know that stuff. my wife and i are already paying out the nose for ultrasounds and such since we both have sh.t insurance. but we'll be okay. also i'm a man my name is just a fun portmanteau of a famous pop star and infamous liquor from chicago.

Ok.

1) I'm not against buying extra stocks (if in a fund), but there's a proper order...no debt other than mortgage or a very big student loan, then 15% minimum into retirement funds, then pay off house, then more money into mutual funds OR you can now buy individual stocks if you want (minimum of 5 and no more than about 20% each in different sectors)

2) Yeah, kids are expensive. I left out cell phones for everyone too.

30 year old guy wrote:

.

I guess the part I left out was that I'm paying additional principal on my mortgage each month, as I value financial freedom and absolutely hate owing anyone anything.

I think a lot of people are missing that everything about the original question is basically answered right here.

the30mileperweekman wrote:

Great question.

I just asked that myself and I found out that somebody I know had a second kid.

Climate crisis, the US close before ending Democracy, housing crisis and we haven't talked about costs for the kid yet.

Pre school, school, college, that are a couple hundred thousand right there.

I’m very glad you’re not having kids if you’re worried about America ending Democracy.

Having kids is not the point of life or the end-all-be-all.

Life is meaningless.

People who insist kids are the only way to bring "meaning" are just trying to distract and kid themselves of the futile inevitability of death and becoming nothingness.

Infuse your life with "meaning" however you wish, kids or no kids. A life without children can be filled with worthwhile endeavors, experiences, and relationships in myriad other ways.

Some of you parents need to get off your high horses. A lot of virtue signaling and superiority complexes here.

Old Dude 5-0 wrote:

4. Wait to your 60 something . You'll be so out of date....that your nickname will be 'Dinosaur'.

Get it? Probably not.

This is probably the least logical statement I've read on this thread. You're going to be a dinosaur at 60 something regardless of whether you have kids or not.

Runningart2004 wrote:

The OP's math doesn't compute.

What's your schedule? Here's mine

0445: Wake

2230: Bed

Wife and I handle the chores together so its easy.

1.) Not everyone can handle sleeping for only 6 hours, 15 minutes. I can function off of 7.5 hours, but ideally, I'd like to have 8-8.5.

2.) The OP probably lives alone and doesn't have anyone to share the chores with.

GOPrunnerboi wrote:

Either way, more and more liberals have this way of thinking, and are not having kids. Im ok with that.

+1000

I have kids so my opinion may be a bit biased. That being said, having kids is not for everyone and that is to be respected. It's amazingly difficult and challenging without question. Yet the rewards are like no other. IMHO, having children is an essential part of fulfilling one's self-existence (sorry for sounding Zen-Like). There's a time in life when you realize that it's not "All" about you. The days of being single and only accountable to yourself run their course and the need to take the next step to commit to someone else either in marriage or a committed relationship is necessary to advance to the next level of self-growth. The next step is having children, and it is at this stage of life that "Real" growth occurs. When you now have the responsibility of taking care of and nurturing another human being you truly begin to understand who you are and your place in life. Family is the true gift. When you're 20-30 years old it's not easy to envision, but as you grow older and wiser it hits you like a ton of bricks of how important and special it is to be part of a family that you've helped create.

This is exactly what I was talking about when I said some of the parents on here are self righteous, self impressed, virtue signalers.

Sorry, no, having sex and popping out progeny and then rearing them is not the single most fulfilling task a person can accomplish. Good for you that it gives you the warm fuzzies, but it's not the only path.

Hey OP,

Don’t listen to these miserable posters with kids. There’s nothing good about having kids. Talk to normal people and tell them you have no interest and the automatic knee jerk reaction is always “ oh good for you.”

This forum is different. A bunch of nerds got talked into having kids by their chubby wives and regret it so much that they just want to drag you into their misery. How much fun to must be to spend your paycheck at Costco and buying them useless crap that they never appreciate because all they do is watch tv and eat. No different than animals. Except animals have a purpose, kids just consume and irritate everyone around them. Screw that. Live simply and be free.

kids suck donkey balls wrote:

Hey OP,

Don’t listen to these miserable posters with kids. There’s nothing good about having kids. Talk to normal people and tell them you have no interest and the automatic knee jerk reaction is always “ oh good for you.”

This forum is different. A bunch of nerds got talked into having kids by their chubby wives and regret it so much that they just want to drag you into their misery. How much fun to must be to spend your paycheck at Costco and buying them useless crap that they never appreciate because all they do is watch tv and eat. No different than animals. Except animals have a purpose, kids just consume and irritate everyone around them. Screw that. Live simply and be free.

+100

Precious Roy wrote:

Now, there is an iceberg the size of Florida that is about to calve off and cause a few feet of sea level rise. .

That we have come to the point that this quoted piece of stupidity is passed off as fact exemplifies why a lot of the current child-bearing age population has decided to opt out. Can't fix stupid. Social media needs to die.

To the OP, if you work 40hr/wk and don't think you have time for kids you have a serious time management issue or are incredibly self-centered and are correct in not wanting children.

Seems like a perfectly fine time wrote:

Oh and why during a pandemic? Do you think healthy people at age 30 and kids are particularly vulnerable to Covid? Well no, they're not. So it doesn't matter. I'd rather be my age and having kids during this pandemic than being an 85 year old in a nursing home.

So adding to the already overstretched hospital demand is fine? Not only will your wife and baby receive sub par care while she's giving birth, but the doctors and nurses treating the two of you could have been treating sick elderly patients instead who need that care to survive.

I'm not saying to live like a hermit. I travelled quite a bit this year, went to bars and restaurants, and competed in a few indoor track meets. But since I'm young, healthy, and vaxxed, I'm not going to be a burden on the healthcare system if I do get infected.

albrecht durer wrote:

kids suck donkey balls wrote:

Hey OP,

Don’t listen to these miserable posters with kids. There’s nothing good about having kids. Talk to normal people and tell them you have no interest and the automatic knee jerk reaction is always “ oh good for you.”

This forum is different. A bunch of nerds got talked into having kids by their chubby wives and regret it so much that they just want to drag you into their misery. How much fun to must be to spend your paycheck at Costco and buying them useless crap that they never appreciate because all they do is watch tv and eat. No different than animals. Except animals have a purpose, kids just consume and irritate everyone around them. Screw that. Live simply and be free.

+100

This is accurate.

CKidd wrote:

30 year old guy wrote:

.

I guess the part I left out was that I'm paying additional principal on my mortgage each month, as I value financial freedom and absolutely hate owing anyone anything.

I think a lot of people are missing that everything about the original question is basically answered right here.

Yup:

30 year old guy wrote:

I should have my house paid off within three years if nothing drastic changes.

Aouita 84 wrote:

There's a time in life when you realize that it's not "All" about you. The days of being single and only accountable to yourself run their course

Try telling that to the singles who're serving in the military. Or the singles who're cops, firemen, pilots, doctors, C-suite executives, and so on.

Just because you're single doesn't mean you're not accountable to anyone.

trackie. wrote:

Aouita 84 wrote:

There's a time in life when you realize that it's not "All" about you. The days of being single and only accountable to yourself run their course

Try telling that to the singles who're serving in the military. Or the singles who're cops, firemen, pilots, doctors, C-suite executives, and so on.

Just because you're single doesn't mean you're not accountable to anyone.

Touche.

I have a couple of friends who are doctors and one who is a captain in the marines. They are constantly running around taking care of and looking out for others. I can't imagine having a job where my responsibility is literally hundreds or thousands of others' lives every day, day in and day out.

But no, being a parent is the ultimate selfless act. /s

albrecht durer wrote:

trackie. wrote:

Try telling that to the singles who're serving in the military. Or the singles who're cops, firemen, pilots, doctors, C-suite executives, and so on.

Just because you're single doesn't mean you're not accountable to anyone.

Touche.

I have a couple of friends who are doctors and one who is a captain in the marines. They are constantly running around taking care of and looking out for others. I can't imagine having a job where my responsibility is literally hundreds or thousands of others' lives every day, day in and day out.

But no, being a parent is the ultimate selfless act. /s

You're exactly the sort of person that shouldn't be having children.

Don't change a thing.