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The Children Poll

How many children do you have? Select a number and reason.

  • 0

    Votes: 41 32.0%

  • 1

    Votes: 16 12.5%

  • 2

    Votes: 44 34.4%

  • 3

    Votes: 17 13.3%

  • 4+

    Votes: 9 7.0%

  • My/Partners decision

    Votes: 58 45.3%

  • Decided for me (medical or circumstances)

    Votes: 20 15.6%
  • Total voters
    128
Mrs MikeMA and I are now in our early 70s with four grown up children, three girls and one boy, plus, so far, four grandchildren and one great-grandchild. They all still want to come home for Christmas, and the increasing numbers mean we have to keep buying extra cutlery and stuff, and downsizing isn't an option. I like to think that having lived through the joys, trials and tribulations they have bought has made us more tolerant and resilient people than we otherwise might have been, but who knows?Anyway, I can't imagine a life without children, I think I'd find it boring.
 
MikeMA said:
Mrs MikeMA and I are now in our early 70s with four grown up children, three girls and one boy, plus, so far, four grandchildren and one great-grandchild. They all still want to come home for Christmas, and the increasing numbers mean we have to keep buying extra cutlery and stuff, and downsizing isn't an option. I like to think that having lived through the joys, trials and tribulations they have bought has made us more tolerant and resilient people than we otherwise might have been, but who knows?Anyway, I can't imagine a life without children, I think I'd find it boring.
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Kids ! .... so selfish.... can't even bring a bit of cutlery with them to save their poor old mum and dad from having to buy more of the stuff just to entertain them to yet another free Christmas bash.

( smilie time )
 
gintonic said:
I'm afraid to tell you that empathy has no relationship to dislike. I dislike you from your posts on here, but I can emphasize with you running a business single handed.
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You don't seem to understand the offence you might cause to parents by saying you don't like children. Herein shows your lack of empathy.

Here is an Oxford dictionary explanation of what the word empathy means - 'the ability to imagine and understand the thoughts, perspective, and emotions of another person'

As for the tax rebate bollocks....you can have it as long as my kids don't have to fund your pension with the tax they pay during your retirement.
 
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Bob McC said:
Without a doubt.
I loathed my father until well after I left home and was married.
I then tolerated him until he was in his dotage when I felt sorry for the demons that drove him. Both my parents are dead now. I have not missed them one jot.
I would however lay down my life for any of my children even though I am sure they think I am a curmudgeon.
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That pretty much mirrors my situation.
 
Kids are great.

As long as I don't have to have them. It sounds painful.

And they don't kick balls against the fence(sorted that one now).
 
richgilb said:
You don't seem to understand the offence you might cause to parents by saying you don't like children. Herein shows your lack of empathy.

Here is an Oxford dictionary explanation of what the word empathy means - 'the ability to imagine and understand the thoughts, perspective, and emotions of another person'

As for the tax rebate bollocks....you can have it as long as my kids don't have to fund your pension with the tax they pay during your retirement.
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I've not read right through this thread again so can't be sure if GT or anyone else has actually claimed not to like children, rather than not wanting children of their own, which is not necessarily the same thing. If they did, then I wouldn't be offended, just concerned that there were some odd people around who disliked all small young people.
 
Joe said:
You are easily offended if that is what would light your touch-paper .:)

I don't like Chinese food....any opinion on that ?
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Well not really, but there are negative vibes from me to him. He has not even met my kids. They have been judged by some kind of category generalisation. If I ever met him with my kids, I would feel erm...I don't know...I'd hope to keep my kids clear of him, I suppose.

Also, there are plenty here that take offence at the smaller issues. Some parents will find people that 'dislike' kids offensive.

Finally, I don't like Chinese food either.

MikeMA said:
I've not read right through this thread again so can't be sure if GT or anyone else has actually claimed not to like children, rather than not wanting children of their own, which is not necessarily the same thing. If they did, then I wouldn't be offended, just concerned that there were some odd people around who disliked all small young people.
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Here you go:
'I dislike them, kind of always knew it, but in my first career when I was comfortable within myself I really realised the dislike'
 
richgilb said:
Well not really, but there are negative vibes from me to him. He has not even met my kids. They have been judged by some kind of category generalisation. If I ever met him with my kids, I would feel erm...I don't know...I'd hope to keep my kids clear of him, I suppose.

Also, there are plenty here that take offence at the smaller issues. Some parents will find people that 'dislike' kids offensive.

Finally, I don't like Chinese food either.


Here you go:
'I dislike them, kind of always knew it, but in my first career when I was comfortable within myself I really realised the dislike'
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Fair enough. I agree with your 'generalisation' point, which was what I was trying to say.
 
Not wanting children yourself is perfectly fine of course.
OTOH saying you don't like children is inviting people to form a negative view of you.
 
Joe said:
Top man !... we should start a club.
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Caveat: I do love Thai, Japanese and Vietnamese food, though. It's the grease, tastelesness and heavy Chinese rice I don't really like. I spent a year in Shanghai and still could not get into it. Didn't seem much better than the local take away slop served in the UK.
 
Somewhat related ...my dog walk often takes me past a small person school, the kind for the age when they probably stopped constantly leaking but are still insanely noisy. - During the last school break I noticed a specialist Tarmac firm and Tree Surgeons. Did'nt think much of it. - I just noticed the trees have gone and the playground with swings etc has disappeared too. Just a plain tarmaced area now.

Elf'n safety or another reason?
 
drummerman said:
Somewhat related ...my dog walk often takes me past a small person school, the kind for the age when they probably stopped constantly leaking but are still insanely noisy. - During the last school break I noticed a specialist Tarmac firm and Tree Surgeons. Did'nt think much of it. - I just noticed the trees have gone and the playground with swings etc has disappeared too. Just a plain tarmaced area now.

Elf'n safety or another reason?
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It is probably rubber tarmac.
 
Joe said:
You are easily offended if that is what would light your touch-paper .:)

I don't like Chinese food....any opinion on that ?
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Too general to say you don't like kids.

Like saying you don't like adults.

Maybe better to say what you don't like.
 
Wilson said:
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Indeed. But try explaining that to the parent with three kids who is tutting at your used once a week Porsche.

If you really want kids, adopt some that are living in poverty.

Anyway. I don't like children. I didn't like me much when I was one. They vary. By the time you get to teach them chess, go, calculus and off-spin they get a bit better. But not much. In fact, I'd set the limit at about 25 years. Best not to interact with anyone younger.

In general I'm happy with a laissez faire attitude to how people want to bring up their children, but some of the less constrained ways do come into conflict with the freedom of others. Little Kylie may be allowed to run up and down the train as much as she likes whilst screaming, but her head-butting the drinks cart is not the train companies fault. Similarly, if your blessed Timmy keeps trying to punch me in the crotch I may take some action to stop this, such as placing my shopping basket between us until you return to your parenting responsibilities. If he chooses to sit down and bawl at the indignity of the limit on where he chooses to thrust his chocolate daubed mitt, this is absolutely no concern of mine.

Headphones. Wagner*. Ignore people. Bliss.

* Other loud clangy music is available. Autechre for example.
 
I would never want any of my own but have had the pleasure of working with autistic children and young adults.

Nice handing them over at the the end of a shift though.
 
One, He's two and half and has been absolutely bloody brilliant since he arrived. As we are both in our forties we are not consciously trying for another and consider ourselves remarkably fortunate to have the one we do.

There are lots of very compelling reasons for not having children and I don't think anyone should be chided for it.

However, my life has definitely been enriched by the presence of one, and I was previously not massively keen on the idea.
 
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