14 Reasons Why Women choose to be Childfree By Choice

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, childfree by choice has been gaining popularity lately.

Unlike what you may believe, it is not at all a new phenomenon but it definitely has been gaining steam.

I often get asked why people would choose to be childfree. Those many encounters are a major inspiration for this current blog.

I will tell you some of the main reasons why women end up pursuing a childfree life.

First things first, I am a childfree woman by choice. This is the reason why I thought I was 100% qualified to cover this topic here.

This blog is as accurate as possible both based on my personal experience and also my friends along with fellow childfree women I often speak to.

I also made a Youtube video covering it that went a little bit viral. So you can watch the video instead if you prefer as it conveys the emotions in a more powerful medium.

There are also my podcast episodes

And this next one covers some of the hardships of choosing a childfree life. Because like everything in life, there’s always pros and cons 🙂

Lack of desire

Let’s start with the obvious. People always expect some grand reasons as to why others choose to deviate from the usual life script.

Yes of course there are tons of serious reasons which this blog will also cover.

I just wanted to reiterate that it can also be as straight forward as in they simply don’t have any desire to have kids and thus choose to be childfree.

Freedom

I will be the first to acknowledge this might not be a high priority for a lot of people. However to others it is one of the most valuable luxuries in life.

A child free life allows for maximum freedom.

Freedom to come and go as one please and not having to worry about things like daycare, school schedule and vacations, etc

Responsibilities

On the same token, we do need to acknowledge the fact that choosing to have kids is committing to a slew of responsibilities that one might not overall have.

Sometimes I hear some edgy parents say that life doesn’t/t have to change when you have kids.

And I don’t think it it fair to the kids. Because once you have children, they become the priority and rightfully so.

Childfree people choose to forego those responsibilities in order to prioritize themselves and focus on their own wants and needs.

Lifestyle

This goes hand in hand with the previous point.

Childfree women all vary but I can say this is a common reason amongst the vast majority.

Many are happy with their lives just the way it is and don’t want to change it by adding children and stress to the mix.

Time to pursue personal hobbies

Choosing to skip the children part naturally means that one will have much more time to dedicate to hobbies.

That is a main perk of the childfree life to me because I have a whole lot of hobbies.

First of all, as a dancer , there are a so many dance genres that I love to dedicate my time to.

Then I also enjoy roller skating, pole dancing, surfing, traveling, spending time with my friends.

I am also a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu purple belt. This is a hobby that can take a ridiculous amount of commitment and brain power on its own.

Between all these hobbies along with your usual life stuff ( cleaning, cooking, laundry, work) I often feel like there is not enough time.

I must say that I have tremendous respect for those who choose to be parents, because I have no idea how they juggle all these responsibilities.

Money

Kids are expensive and that is another reason people often talk about.

Expensive Childcare

Still related to money, it’s insane how expensive childcare costs. That is often a reason why one parent, often the mother, find herself having to stay at home.

In Canada alone, childcare can cost a couple of thousand a month. Thankfully there is subsidized daycare.

However if, for whatever reason, one isn’t able to get on the list, it can have a devastating effect on their budget.

Peace & Quiet home

This is a major reason for me.

I really do enjoy having a peaceful and quiet home when I get home from my favourite work space. It allows to disconnect and recharge.

Clean Home

Having a clean home is a priority to many people.

And it just so happens that it is easier to have a clean house and keep it that way without toddlers.

Environmental Reasons

Environmental reasons are a major concern for many childfree people.

They worry about global warming and the state of the world that future kids would inherit.

For that alone, many find it unethical to bring kids into this world.

Housing Crisis & various World politics

This often goes hand in hand with environmental reasons.

We are currently experiencing a housing crisis in many regions of the world. Not to be alarmist but it is a fact that things are only getting more expensive by the day.

Many people choose not to have kids because they worry about their future kids dealing with a much worse housing crisis later on.

Tokophobia

This is something that isn’t talked about enough.

Tokophobia is a pathological fear of pregnancy which many women suffer from.

This is often framed about as a problem that needs to be overcome.

However, I noticed that it is often the catalyst that make some women realize they don’t actually truly desire having kids.

Health

In my case, I did end up having a hysterectomy .

I also have to be honest and admit that I was already childfree way before needing my surgery for health reasons.

All this to say that pregnancy and its aftermath can leave women with long lasting health issues.

There was a research by WHO showing that more than 1/3 of women experience long term health issues lasting way after pregnancy, and often for the rest of their lives.

That alone is a reason why pregnancy isn’t worth it for many childfree women.

Mental Health

Pregnancy along with all the added responsibilities that come with having kids can wreak havoc on some people’s mental health.

That is also another reason why many women choose to not take that path.

FAQ

What’s Wrong with Childfree women?

Nothing is wrong with childfree women. They simply do not want children.

Some people do and others don’t. It really is that simple.

Just like the comedian Chelsey Handler who keeps breaking the internet every time she shares about her happy childfree life.

Then we also have Oprah, Seth and many other celebrities who are very vocal about being childfree and happy.

Are Childfree women unhappy?

Not at all.

There are more and more research coming out showing that the happiest group of women are those that are unmarried and without children.

This makes sense because women are more financially self sufficient, and have more time to focus on their own hobbies, wants and needs.

Based on all the reasons I cited in this blog and also from personal experience, childfree women are not inherently unhappy. Myself and all my other childfree friends as extremely content and thriving in life.

Wrap up

This blog covered some of the most common reasons why women might choose to be childfree by choice.

Of course everyone is different. Some people thrive in parenthood while others are happier childfree.

There is no one size fits all in life and there is so much beauty in that.

I also love how the internet is bringing childfree women together. I look forward to doing my part also.

You can join me and a group of like minded women in my upcoming women group travel and dance retreats.

I always share up to date information in my Instagram @Stefbarti

Stay awesome girlies!

🙂