<p>Thank you, Artery, couldn’t have said it better.</p>
<p>Also, that is a horrible “joke”.</p>
<p>Are we telling jokes now?</p>
<p>Considering that I want to be either a developmental psychologist or a pediatric doctor (haven’t decided on a specialty yet), if I didn’t like kids, I’d be in BIG trouble… It happens to be that I love kids, my favorite time of year is in the summer when I’m a camp counselor for a bunch of teeny screamy terrible-twos who I absolutely love to pieces and would die for. So I honestly can’t wait to have my own… I’m just trying to figure out how I’m gonna fit med school in, because I don’t want to have kids too late in life and I want to be around for them and not shove them off to some nanny.
And people, DON’T look down on the people who are SAHMs- my mom is one, and it’s not because she isn’t educated- she has an MBA and had a fantastic Wall Street job until she quit when I was born. She just grew up with her mom around, knew it was important to her that her kids would have her around, and decided what her personal priorities were. I think she made a great decision for her and for us and as I grew up this way it’s something that’s going to impact me.
Oh, and at risk of sounding annoying, I have known of people who woke up at thirty/thirty five and realized they wanted kids. Not saying it will happen to you, but it’s NOT impossible, so maybe the person who annoyed you nd I know the same person :).</p>
<p>I guess I do want to, sometime…
not to pass my genes onto future generations or anything, just to know I’d made someone who they were and done it to the best of my ability.
maybe adopt.
In any case, I’d want at most 2, so that I could look after them well without having to give up my career. I’d go crazy as a stay-at-home parent, it’s just not my thing.</p>
<p>Beyond just career goals, I don’t want to have children because I barely can take care of myself. I’m usually too lazy to make myself a sandwich when I get home. How am I going to do anything for anyone else? </p>
<p>I know I’m only a teenager now, but like…I don’t see myself changing too much in the future. If I was on my own, I don’t think I’d ever clean until it got in the way of something else. I’d eat at like random times, whenever I wanted to, and I’d put minimal effort into everything that I don’t enjoy, which are probably the worst traits for a future father.</p>
<p>OP here.</p>
<p>Whoa, I did not expect this thread to become so large!</p>
<p>I admire SAHP people but I honestly don’t think I could become one. It’s reassuring to know that others agree with me. You have to really, really want to focus on your family/small aspects of your community. It works for some people, doesn’t for others. </p>
<p>Children are important. Reproduction sustains our race and if you’re in a position to raise happy, well adjusted progeny, then it makes sense to do so. Family is important, obviously. </p>
<p>That being said, if I have children, I fully plan on staying home for ~2 weeks and then using childcare/other things and returning to work. I wasn’t with my parents much after I was born and I think one can still maintain good relationships after. Children don’t remember much before 2 or so, anyways and if you place them in good hands (relatives et al), it should be fine. </p>
<p>I’m unsure about the whole “pick a less ambitious” partner type of thing. I think that it’s tough to relate to people who have different levels of ambition (less or more) when you yourself are so focused on getting ahead. Considering the number of “I hate my unmotivated and immature peers!!!11” threads we have here, I doubt I’m the only one 
. I kid, I kid but I think you know what I mean. </p>
<p>I think strict gender roles are silly- people are all different and why try to squish them into a category where they really don’t fit? That being said, I acknowledge that some women feel a closer tie to children than their male counterpart. As such, I think that for such women, especially, it’s important that there are better childcare options available or even onsite nurseries. I think it’s vital that more women enter fields where women are traditionally underrepresented because their absence results in some very silly things happening (see: politics). </p>
<p>Interesting discussion though, on the whole.</p>
<p>Lol moar jokes pls.</p>
<p>I do not want children until I turn at least 40. I can’t reproduce, well I can ,but my sexuality won’t allow me to. So I would most likely adopt.</p>
<p>I would love to have kids someday. I’m a little worried though because I have a phobia of vomiting and I am worried about the morning sickness/caring for kids when they are sick. Though my mom had this fear until she had morning sickness everyday with me. :/</p>
<p>I’ve said many times that the most difficult part of becoming an adult will be trying to reconcile all of my dreams into some sort of life that I can live. That is, I can’t be a doctor and an engineer and a math teacher and a singer and a piano player and a SAHM all at once… That just doesn’t work. Likewise, how will I fit in having kids with going to med school? Not that I’m 100% going to be a doctor, but who knows? I know that I want a job that I love and i don’t want to feel guilty about having kids too late or neglecting kids for work or neglecting work for kids or anything else in that whole host of issues. </p>
<p>All that said, I definitely don’t want to die childless, lol. I decided in fourth grade that I want to adopt, and I’m still holding on to that. I think it’s a fabulous thing to do. We’ll see if I still feel the same way when I’m 30.</p>
<p>I just want to put this out there: You’re not too old to have kids in your 30s…</p>
<p>My parents were 40 and 44 when I was born, and I always thought that was the usual age until someone thought they were my grandparents. It kind of sucks that I’ll be younger when they die, though.</p>
<p>Yeah, that’s the downside of it. I, too, have parents who had me an older than average age.</p>
<p>My parents were 21 and at college when they had my older brother, and not much older when they had me…</p>
<p>By the time we get to our 30s they’ll have improved things so much we’ll have no problem!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I must have expressed the same sentiment to my piano teacher, because when she wrote a book of jazz piano pieces, she entitled one of them, “I Want to Have It All!” and dedicated it to me, with a paragraph describing what I wanted.</p>
<p>And you know what? Things have worked out pretty well. I’m an engineer who got to stay home with the kids most of the time. 14 years ago, my husband and I started our own firm that we run out of our house. So I can do some engineering and drafting for him, but I can also run the kids around, work out in the mornings, play piano, etc. My oldest son was born on my 30th birthday, so I got to enjoy my 20s.</p>
<p>I don’t literally wish to bear progeny, but I want to adopt children. I honestly can’t think of any legitimately good reasons for people to have their own biological children at this point. I mean, we do want to continue the human race yadayada, but obviously SOMEONE is going to keep having kids, even if you personally choose not to, and I think it makes sense to choose not to. For me, at least, I can’t justify bringing a child into this overpopulated world when there’s so many that need homes. </p>
<p>Anyway, I want to adopt around three kids in the FAR future. Not thinking about children at all until I’m at least 30 because I do want the opportunity to self-indulgently focus on my own life before making a serious commitment like that. Sometimes I think that I might not want kids at all, but they’re just too precious and deep down, I really do want to be a mother, even if not biologically. I think I’d like to stay home a lot in my children’s early ages, but I definitely plan on having a career. I’d go stir-crazy as a SAHM.</p>
<p>Mom had me at 19.</p>
<p>The way my life’s been, no ty to kids.</p>
<p>
lol. I don’t want kids for the sake of the human race</p>
<p>
biological bond 
jk, I know an adopted child can be just as well loved. I just find a woman going through childbirth admirable. and making a child with someone you love is also beautiful :)</p>
<p>Niquii- My mom was 30 and my dad was 35 when I was born. My mom had already had an MBA, a lucrative job, loads of fun times with her friends (a backpacking trip across Europe? I wish I could do that!), and plenty of chill time before she married my dad. I happen to think my parents are the perfect age- not old enough that they’ll be really old when I’m 25 and yet old enough that I think they raised us right :)- I just compare my siblings and me with the kids of younger parents and yes, there’s a difference. Now don’t hate on me, it’s just my opinion as a religious type kid.
And my mom’s friend got married at 40 (to a 50 year old guy) and had her two kids at 42 and 45- but now by the time they’re graduating high school their parents will be eldery already, and even though she wants more kids she can’t have any.
So I think it’s important to have a happy medium, but I’m not going to plan that when I’m 30 I’ll get married because who knows what’s actually gonna happen? I’m keeping my options open.</p>