About this Blog

After banging my head in frustration over the obsession everyone around me had with procreation, I went online to find a community of people who were more like me. I have met some fascinating people along the way, but I have also found that many in the childfree community are quite hostile toward Christianity and a Christian world view. I understand that, unfortunately, many of my Christian sisters and brothers have given them a lot of ammunition (undoubtedly, I have been guilty of this at times too). Not wanting to be perceived as "trolling" for expressing my Christian perspective on other people's forums and blogs, I use my own blog to share my musings on childfree life while at the same time expressing my faith.

My intention is to show support to childfree people, both Christian and non-Christian, but from my own Christian perspective. Questions and constructive comments are welcome; negativity and intolerance are not.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

“I would be so bored.”

While engaged in a discussion on campus about paths in life and about how things might be different if one had chosen the other direction at some fork in life’s road, I was unsurprised that several women focused on their decision to have children.  Certainly, that is the most monumental decision in many people’s lives.  As they described the pros and cons of that choice, I was happy for them that their kids gave them satisfaction in life and motivation to return to (or begin) college, but I was perplexed at one theme that was repeated:  “If I didn’t have kids, I would be so bored.”

Now I will wholeheartedly agree that I have more leisure time than most parents I know, so I can understand how a parent might be so busy that she forgets what she used to do in her past free time.  But to remember it as boring, or to think that her current life would be boring if she weren’t running around after kids (especially when she is a college student and has plenty of studying to keep her occupied)?  I guess I don't get it.  I know I sometimes use my time frivolously on lazy grocery shopping trips or on watching TV, and other times I am productive through volunteerism or work around the house.  Either way, I have no difficulty finding something interesting -- and, more often than not, constructive -- to do.  In fact, I frequently find myself running out of time to do all the things I would fancy doing.  As such, it makes me wonder if some people simply lacked imagination pre-parenthood, as if they did not know what to do with themselves so they created another person who would dictate their daily activities.  To each her own, I suppose, but I prefer to be more proactive with my life.

On a bit of a tangent, it also reminds me of something an adult told me when I was an adolescent: “An intelligent mind is never bored.”  And let’s face it… when we say we’re bored, don’t we really mean that we don’t feel like doing any of the things we could or should be doing at the time, like cleaning the rain gutters?  (I have been guilty of that!)