We have a birthday party every month with our kids and grand kids, always something going on. We enjoy being involved in their lives sure beats just the two of us, think that would totally suck.
Soon it will be the holidays what are the holidays with no family, that would also suck.
Why anyone would prefer to not have a family maks no sense to me that should be what life is all about.....family.
Out in my Fortress of Solitude/man cave is a painting of Robert Johnson and another of Jimi Hendrix that my son had painted for me by an artist friend of his, he loves his dad. Also a drawing of Lighthin' Hopkins one of my grand daughters drew for me, she loves grandpa.
The wife already talking about Christmas gifts and who needs what. No family for the holidays......why?
Do your grandkids razz you about your horrible nfl takes yet? I’d imagine you’re the butt end of some good jokes come Sunday
Actually it's....
Tell us again about that guy who went straight from high school to pro football grandpa, so he got mad because he couldn't fly himsef to the games?
I love my kids, and my grandkids, but honestly if I could go back and do it all over again with the knowledge I have now, I'd not have kids/family.
Once I'm dead, I won't care whether my genetic line lives on or not.
It would be nice to retire early and enjoy my own life while I am still healthy and [relatively] young - which I could have done already, had I not lived hand-to-mouth for 25 years while raising them, paying for their college, etc. As it is, I'll probably have to work until I am 70 to retire, and frankly, I'll probably outlive them anyway.
But what's done is done. I want the best for my kids and grandkids. It would have been nice to live my life for me, though.
Those in favor of kids usually have had their children grow up and be moderately successful at interacting with others. There are many who have children who grow up to be jerks or addicts, or both! I don't envision someone wanting to spending holidays with a family full of scumbags, but that's just me.
As for those saying they want someone to take care of them when they're older, again that is not a guarantee. I have seen families where the adult children want nothing to do with the parents and drop them off in a home or just let them rot in isolation. Of course, I have also seen where one child does all the work and cares for the parents. Still a big roll of the dice and not a valid reason for having children.
I agree that once you die what does it really matter about "legacy." In 100 years nobody is going to give 2 rips about your existence. At some point the planet will implode along with our "legacy."
I love my kids, and my grandkids, but honestly if I could go back and do it all over again with the knowledge I have now, I'd not have kids/family.
Once I'm dead, I won't care whether my genetic line lives on or not.
It would be nice to retire early and enjoy my own life while I am still healthy and [relatively] young - which I could have done already, had I not lived hand-to-mouth for 25 years while raising them, paying for their college, etc. As it is, I'll probably have to work until I am 70 to retire, and frankly, I'll probably outlive them anyway.
But what's done is done. I want the best for my kids and grandkids. It would have been nice to live my life for me, though.
I respect your honesty but....wow.... that kind of blows my mind that someone who has raised [ apparently] decent, fairly successful children can look back and say:...ehhhh/ arghhh.... I wish they had never been born.
That's hard for me to imagine. IMHO it ain't a great reflection upon you.
[ on the other hand I know parents that have raised an addict that has caused them countless hardship, heartache and tears, and bled them of so much money [ not to mention all the pain the child herself has experienced] and yet....I still highly doubt they would say: if we could do it all over again we would not have that child. In that example maybe they should feel that way however this is an extremely painful example ]
I love my kids, and my grandkids, but honestly if I could go back and do it all over again with the knowledge I have now, I'd not have kids/family.
Once I'm dead, I won't care whether my genetic line lives on or not.
It would be nice to retire early and enjoy my own life while I am still healthy and [relatively] young - which I could have done already, had I not lived hand-to-mouth for 25 years while raising them, paying for their college, etc. As it is, I'll probably have to work until I am 70 to retire, and frankly, I'll probably outlive them anyway.
But what's done is done. I want the best for my kids and grandkids. It would have been nice to live my life for me, though.
I respect your honesty but....wow.... that kind of blows my mind that someone who has raised [ apparently] decent, fairly successful children can look back and say:...ehhhh/ arghhh.... I wish they had never been born.
That's hard for me to imagine. IMHO it ain't a great reflection upon you.
[ on the other hand I know parents that have raised an addict that has caused them countless hardship, heartache and tears, and bled them of so much money [ not to mention all the pain the child herself has experienced] and yet....I still highly doubt they would say: if we could do it all over again we would not have that child. In that example maybe they should feel that way however this is an extremely painful example ]
Eh my mother regrets getting married and having a family as well. She’s a great grandmother, 3 of her 4 kids are very successful, and travels a lot around the world at age 70.
But she’s also confided in me that she regrets having a family and not living life for herself.
For that reason alone, you might want to have a kid.
We all die alone. The number of kids I know who live hundreds of miles away from their parents is substantial.
I guess it depends on your culture and upbringing. For example, White Americans typically have weak family bonds and send their grandparents to nursing homes. For many other cultures, especially Hispanic ones this is not acceptable and they often have adult kids often visiting their elders. In general White Americans have a weak bond with family , especially elders. Considering that the majority of letsrun posters are White Americans, it makes sense that the concept of having kids is a choice and considered burdensome , because it’s a part of American culture. Again with Hispanic culture, Middle Eastern culture (Muslim), African culture, not having kids is seen as a problem and couples can even be shamed.
I love my kids, and my grandkids, but honestly if I could go back and do it all over again with the knowledge I have now, I'd not have kids/family.
Once I'm dead, I won't care whether my genetic line lives on or not.
It would be nice to retire early and enjoy my own life while I am still healthy and [relatively] young - which I could have done already, had I not lived hand-to-mouth for 25 years while raising them, paying for their college, etc. As it is, I'll probably have to work until I am 70 to retire, and frankly, I'll probably outlive them anyway.
But what's done is done. I want the best for my kids and grandkids. It would have been nice to live my life for me, though.
Life is far better when you aren't all that wrapped up in yourself. It shoujd be about family not me me what about me?
Why are the only two options “being wrapped up in yourself” and “being about family”? The world would be a better place if we cared more about our fellow human beings and less about our own personal fiefdoms.
Not so much, but almost every childless couple I know babies their dogs and talks to them more than you would actual kids. Certainly something mentally deeper going on there.
I respect your honesty but....wow.... that kind of blows my mind that someone who has raised [ apparently] decent, fairly successful children can look back and say:...ehhhh/ arghhh.... I wish they had never been born.
That's hard for me to imagine. IMHO it ain't a great reflection upon you.
[ on the other hand I know parents that have raised an addict that has caused them countless hardship, heartache and tears, and bled them of so much money [ not to mention all the pain the child herself has experienced] and yet....I still highly doubt they would say: if we could do it all over again we would not have that child. In that example maybe they should feel that way however this is an extremely painful example ]
Eh my mother regrets getting married and having a family as well. She’s a great grandmother, 3 of her 4 kids are very successful, and travels a lot around the world at age 70.
But she’s also confided in me that she regrets having a family and not living life for herself.
Eh..... I wish your mom never had kids either. Because then she would have not have raised a selfish POS like yourself. So your mom and me agree!
[ what a soft bunch of lame a$$ and M'effers your family is]
Not so much, but almost every childless couple I know babies their dogs and talks to them more than you would actual kids. Certainly something mentally deeper going on there.
Yes there's nothing more sad than childless couples treating their pets like children. Like really REALLY sad.