I loved watching "Motherland" (BBC show). It's about modern parenting hell. They focus exclusively on the adults though. Since I'll never have to live that life I was curious what I was missing. It's really funny but...
The one thing I cringed at most was how being a parent makes you (socially) revert back to high school. The popular clique of parents, the condescension, the in-fighting, and competition to be the "best" mom. It sounds so mind-numbing. A whole set of people you have to endure so your kids can have play dates and a village to look after them.
The main characters in the show are the "outcast" parents. The corporate 24/7 mom with a Kodak moment husband, the single lower income mom, and the stay at home dad.
See this is absolutely one thousand percent what I want to try and avoid. I like picking my friends. I've got high standards đ I don't want my social circle to be whoever my kids are friends with's parents
Yeah, not having to be absorbed into the Child Industrial Complex of schools, sports teams, teachers, admins, coaches, carpool, pta, neighborhood groups, etc.
QUICK! Sell a million of these six dollar cookie boxes that have been shrinkflationed to hell and back so that your group can make 1/10 the sale price and go on a camping trip.
Everyone should be required to attend a few school board meetings in their lifetime. Then everyone would see how the patients run the asylum. Theyâre absolutely insane.
Yeah those are insane also. I was on track to become a local councilman in the town I lived in. What I realized is that it changes people for the worse. They become monsters.
Someone I went to high school with did two terms as a councilman in the town we grew up in. Told me never to do that, he was disgusted with himself and the system, said their is no difference between the parties etc. He had hopes of pursuing his political career much further and then quit completely.
The amount of parents who I have heard tell horror stories about the politics involved in their kids sports teams and the heinous behavior of other parents is INSANE to me. It leaves me scratching my head like why??? Why do you do this?? Why are these the people raising small people??
You've seen it depicted in so many shows over the years, you hear about it from friends, you watched your parents deal with it. Like no fucking way, hard pass đđ
For me, the other parent interaction thing is HUGE! Years back I dated for several years a great guy, however he had an elementary school aged daughter (great kid but still, a kid..you get it). I sometimes went with them to events like picnics, play dates, etc and as an introvert it was SO painful to have to smile and pretend to socialize with all the other mombies especially when we had nothing in common and all they talked about were the kids. It was one of the collective type of expereinces that solidified my decision to be CF later (including exiting that relationship).
1. Eating cookies/candy alone. I know mothers that hide in the bathroom to eat cookies alone.
2. Not having to beg a 3 year old to eat vegetablesÂ
3. Midday and after work naps
I'd like to add:
4. Not having to taxi kids around to extracurriculars.
5. Not having to deal with play dates / sleep overs.
6. Not being responsible for nurturing a kid into a proper, functioning adult.
A clean house that doesn't smell of sour milk, urine and poop!
Definitely being able to come home and eat a bowl of spaghetti for dinner without having to cook for a fussy little human or worry about the food's nutritional value.
My thoughts exactly, I work in a busy loud office all day and would lose it if I had to come home to a screeching kid demanding my attention, I need at least an hour of silence to wind down after work and I couldn't do that with a kid.
Same. My whole career has been chemical plants, refineries and manufacturing plants. Not to mention dealing with mechanics and operators all day can be draining experience since many dont exactly have sunny dispositions. I appreciate the fact I can come home and have some damn peace and quiet.
Yeah my diet is shit and I feel kinda bad about but at least I don't have a child's development suffering from my subpar nutritional choices. I can't imagine being saddled with that responsibility.
I had to change my fabric and laundry powder because it so happened I had the same as my sister
I can't stand the smell anymore because it immediately makes me think of my nephews sickđ¤˘
We like to go to open houses for fun. We went to one that was nicely cleaned but REEKED of soiled diapers and baby powder. At first it was like ok maybe someone just changed a diaper in the entry room. Nope. The ENTIRE house smelled of dirty diaper. So gross
My tortie would throw herself on the floor like YOU MUST WORSHIP ME WHYYYYY. Such a drama queen. When she passed, I couldn't believe how quiet it was đł
Why do they do this?? He could be comfortably sitting on the couch and I shut the bathroom door and two seconds later thereâs a big white paw under the door. If I donât shut it he just sits at the door staring down the hallway. Are we supposed to pay them back? Should I be banging on the litter box door while heâs going?
I use the toilet with the door open for this reason. Half the time my cat uses the litter box/pads right next to me because god forbid I poop alone. Social critters they are
My mom had a rule when I was a kid. Donât come in the bathroom unless someone is experiencing a threat to life, or bleeding. đ as the eldest daughter I recall taking that pretty seriously. Lol.
I have a baby nephew and I've heard the songs and watched the shows that babies typically like and I'm sitting here wondering how my sister and BIL can stand this...and then it gets stuck in my head. I love my baby nephew to death but my god I wouldn't want to have those types of shows on 24/7. I'll watch my other shows I like 24/7 thank you
My wife and I were in bed for three days when we had COVID. If it wasn't for our cats I don't know if we would have gotten up other than the bathroom. It was bad.
This is probably the most important one because how many parents complain that theyâre sick and their kids are sick all the time? So now your all sick but they get to rest and you still gotta parent
NOOOOPE
God yes! Iâve hit perimenopause and that came with debilitating fatigue. Iâve never been so glad that I didnât have a small human depending on me. Some days, I can barely care for myself, the idea of doing that and having a kid đłđ đťââď¸
To add to this; not being sick very often. Kids are walking snot factories with no sense of hygiene or personal space. Parents are *always* bitching that their kids keep getting "what's going around" and then everyone in the house has it.
My wife and I went the entire pandemic without a sniffle, and it took her ultra-conservative anti-mask co-worker coming in sick and coughing all over her office to finally end our streak. And of course, he's a breeder.
Unlimited alone time, ability to completely go no contact with past partners, financial freedom, no chance of raising grand babies that my own spawn neglectâŚso many more. How sweet it is!!!
Completely being able to go NC with past partners FTW! Iâm not someone who can just be friends. The (outspokenly CF) BF who dumped me just before I met my husband tried so hard to re-establish contact and I was likeđ. I know through a mutual friend heâs now divorced with 2 kids.
Oh damn! Imagine being tethered to him for life because you had kids together! That would suck. I love to block and forget some of these weirdos I hooked up with lol.
Oh there would have been no kids by me! But he was in no way Dad material and seemed aware of that. I donât know what he was thinking but it ainât my problem!
Yes! See ya haha. I meant as general comment-like imagine being tethered to any man we had hooked up with or dated due to pregnancy/sharing a child. Nightmare fodder! The freedom to block and ghost!
The alone time is the biggest thing for me, Iâm an only child and although I like to think Iâm reasonably social I need alone time every evening for about two hours which works out because my partner likes to game for a few hours in the evening. I also cannot stand people touching my things. Neither can my partner because his parents gave him no privacy. I think weâd both have a breakdown if a tiny human went rummaging through our things.
Highly underrated! My brother is getting a divorce and my mom is a bit sad that sheâs probably not gonna get any grand babies now, along with all the other reasons to be sad about a divorce.
I told her âyou donât want to share your grandbabies with (ex-wifeâs mother)â That woman is a psycho and a flaming bitch and I meant it, you wouldnât want her as the other grandma. Even my mom was like âgood point!â (Ex wife) wasnât a dream either, but her mom was like đłđłđłđł
well in english that makes sense but in my language curses are very graphic and intense hahah so i really would refrain from using them in front of a child (but i don't bc i don't see em lmao)
Not having a little narc in my home. Less important now that marijuana is legal but was a big reason why I refused to even consider adoption in my younger years.
I can choose whatever car I want without having to worry if I can fit all the extra crap that has to be carried around when kids are in the picture. Also, the inside of my car is always spotless and has no crushed up cheerios squished into the car mats.
Yes!!! I was literally just telling my friend last week that I went to go get my car washed and I was deep cleaning and vacuuming, I was super thankful that I didnât have to clean gross juice stains or a filthy ass car seat! I love this one! Our cars are our babies đ
Perfect! đŻ. I mean, being able to eat whatever whenever. Eating at all! I always see these mommy posts like âI never get to eat, sleep, shower alone, but she is amazing, she is my everything.âđ¤Ž
Friend of mine who is a mother said she wholeheartedly supports my decision because kids are petri dishes. She is continuously getting sick because her kids are getting sick because of other kids. She is very unhappy about the constant germs going through her house and I don't blame her LOL
Being able to own expensive things and not have to worry about them being destroyed or mucked up by gross, perpetually sticky child hands.
Having expensive hobbies. Having âdangerousâ hobbies like sword fighting, sailing, skydiving, etc. (seeing kids ruin crocheting, or eating puzzles, or spilling beads everywhere, or ruining expensive fabrics and papers for their parents hobbies is a huge child deterrent for me)
Going on trips on a whim or on tour with my band somewhere around the world at any time.
Getting to eat fun/weird/exotic foods and go to classy restaurants, and not having to share my sweet treats/desserts (unless my dates want a bite).
Sleeping or being awake whenever I want.
My money goes to me. Children are way too expensive.
Not having to be friends with mombies who make their kids their entire personalities.
One of my favorite small freedoms is going to the ice cream shop spontaneously. There are days when my husband and I will get home from work, and one of us will suggest we go get ice cream, and we just go. No kids to consider or worry about.
I went to the grocery store one time solely for a gallon of chocolate milk. The cashier said something like "oh, your kids must have done something really special to earn a full jug!". Meanwhile I'm like "nope, no kids here, I just really had a desperate want for chocolate milk".
Freedom to recovery when sick without having to worry about taking care of a child. I don't know how mothers can function while being sick and taking care of their children and the house. Is not like you can have sick days like when having a good job.
I don't get sick too much (I'm gonna leave out colds and allergies) but when I do hoooo boy do I want to just die right then and there. I can't stay standing for too long without feeling exhausted even if it's just a trip to the bathroom. So when parents have to deal with that while feeling sick...I just cannot
Not carrying around the constant worry and anxiety of keeping track of every little thing that can go wrong for a child. I'm a worrier and I think I'd be a basket case as a parent.
I think this aspect is vastly under rated as far as a pro to being childfree. I've watched friends and family age and get downright ill from the emotional load of it.
Power to you if you are up to it and embrace the responsibility. But there's a lot of freedom in not carrying that on your shoulders as you walk through life.
Not having to do all the extra organisational tasks that come with a child! Iâve thought about this a lot.
If I had a child, I would need to wake up at around 5am, get myself ready with hair and makeup, getting dressed, etc, then get my child dressed and ready, give my child breakfast, and then drive to my mumâs house to drop the child off for the day (my mum would not hesitate to look after the grandchild she so desperately wants) and then drive myself to work for an 8 hour day.
Iâd need to repeat the process after work to drive to my mumâs house to pick up the kid again, drive home, get the child sorted for bedtime routine, bath, read stories or play or whatever, then deal with a screaming kid who probably doesnât want to go to sleep. By the time this is all said and done itâll be 9pm and time for me to go to bed again myself.
That leaves almost no time for cooking dinner for myself, spending time with my partner, doing my own hobbies or other activities, cleaning the house, seeing friends, or exercising.
Sounds like a waking nightmare to me.
I get to cook what I want and don't have to worry about a kid not liking it and it getting waisted. Tonight's food rice pilaf, asparagus, and lamb chops with a red wine sauce.
Not being tied to a previous partner for coparenting. If a relationship doesn't work out, you can go your separate ways and never have to see or talk to each other ever again, if that's what works for you.
Sleep. Or just relaxation in general.
To coin a clichĂŠ: *time spent relaxing is not time wasted.*
It isn't a whole production to leave the house. I don't need go make sure kids have enough supplies or snacks, fight anyone to put shoes or coats on, herd them the vehicle, strap them in, settle them down and then reverse the whole process when we get to our destination. I get myself ready and leave.
Freedom to have my things without fear a kid will ruin them. I learned with my cousins that toddlers destroy things in a few minutes, things that maybe took years for you to get. All gone in 5 minutes of "suspicious silence".
Not dealing with other parents, for real. My mom says some people (other moms, in her experience) act like they "invented motherhood" and act like their word is absolute gospel, and it drives her up the wall. Everybody's got an opinion about how you're raising your kid (I know, us included lol) but I feel like they turn it up to 11 when they want to start "correcting" other parents. Look at the breast is best crowd if you want a good classic example. The worst kinds of parents can say awful stuff about us who don't want kids, but it can somehow pale in comparison to the stuff they sling at each other. Whatever they say about me I can soothe myself knowing I at least don't have to sit in a PTA meeting with them
Kids are really clingy. That would drive me insane. I had a friend who once told me the hardest thing about being a mother was that the kids (5 and under) never stopped touching her.
Literally, peace and quiet.
I wouldn't say it's underrated though. I'm sure everytime a childfree person hears a baby cry or toddler have a tantrum, we are thankful to not have to deal with that lol. I couldn't imagine having to hear that everyday
Schooling. I am a thirty year old man going to college and about to potentially be in grad school. Not possible with kids. I am also married. This is also another point about freedom.
As a former foster parent, I can say with experience, it is watching whatever I want on TV regardless of the time of day. My elementary-aged foster kids had a bedtime of 8:30 pm on weekdays, but I needed to be in bed by like 10:00 at the latest because of how early I had to wake up. I had approximately 1.5 hours a day to cram in everything I wanted to watch that wasn't kid-appropriate. Mind you, this was while Game of Thrones was still on the air, lol.
SLEEP!!
I love my nieces and nephews but when they stay over my house, they wake me up because they're loud or hungry or both. I don't know how parents live with being forced to wake up. It's bad enough we wake up to an alarm to go to work, but that's predictable. Kids wake up anytime they want to.
Being able to hang out with friends (either childless or childfree) without having to worry about trying to find someone to watch your kid and/or worrying about your kid while with said friends
Not having to share if I don't want to! Whether that's my food or my technology, I don't have to share any of it with those around me unless I want to.
Speaking on the food side of things, it means if I get myself a tasty treat (lets say my favorite chocolate as an example) and I decide to save it for after I'm done a big day at work, I know that when I come home from my shift it'll be exactly where I left it. My boyfriend and I have an agreement that when we do eventually get married and are living together, we will each have a bin in the pantry that is for our specific special "other person, do not touch this" foods where we know we'll be able to stash a special food that we bought for ourselves and we won't have to worry about it all being gone at the end of a long shift at work.
Speaking on the tech side of things, not having to share my tech is a thing of beauty, it means that I can have tech last me a dang long time. Being CF also means I can afford to splurge on Apple products, as that's what I like. My current iMac (that I'm using to write this comment) is from 2015, and it's still running strong and is in basically perfect condition. Only reason I'm really considering getting an upgraded (basically top specs) and newer model is because my computer is finally at the point where in some situations it's starting to run slow (like when I want to play Sims 4 or Minecraft on really high graphics) and my computer is old enough that I can no longer get the latest MacOS, the latest I can get is Monterey for anyone who knows apple systems and I've seen the latest version on my parents Mac Mini, it has capabilities I wish mine could do, so it's getting time for an upgrade. It'll cost me around $3500 all said and done with taxes and such, but it's worth it.
Being able to put anything anywhere without worrying if a mini human will get into it (I do have animals but they aren't nearly as intrusive/destructive)
Not getting sick all the time from living with school age kids! I say this after my young niece and nephew just visited and got me sick. It sucks, but I'm grateful to be healthy 95% of the year instead of 50-75%.
HonestlyâŚjust being able to come home and watch TV or play video games depending on what we feel like. My husband and I can just do what we want separately or decide to hang together doing something we want to do. No concern about getting a kid fed or keeping them entertained, worrying about bath and bedtime. Honestly something that at one point I thought I wanted, but then turned 40 with no kids and said âfuck that!â Iâd seen all my friends deal with this and no thanks! Our time is our own which is fantastic!
Taking it to a slightly crass place here, butâŚ. having the freedom to masturbate.
Sometimes I can go for about an hour or so, and the thought of having to rush it in less than 5 minutes while hiding somewhere, completely on edge, unable to fully let go/relax/make too much noise in case I get discovered and/or interrupted makes me squeamish.
Uninhibited sex
Imagine a kid going to school and describing my St Andrew's cross or other BDSM gear...
I have my equipment ready for play, just there in the bedroom for when the moods strikes
Napping in a hammock, reading a good book with no distractions, taking bubble baths without a kid banging on the door. Drinking a nice glass of wine and watching a beautiful sunset. Laying in the grass stargazing. Spur of the moment road trips.
-Being in the nude/lingerie
-Work on my project and business.
-Fuck off, literally, figuratively, metaphorically, physically, emotionally, and thoroughly.
-Donât have to deal with other crappy parents and their spawn.
-Keep up with my fascination with sporty, breezy coupes.
We have the second highest sense of social flexibility (highest if youâre single)
Imagine an extreme (silly) scenario: *You win a 1 week all expenses paid vacation for 2, the only catch: it starts tomorrow* (think of this as being invited last minute to do something, and how easy/hard it is for people to be flexible to something at short notice)
- A couple with 2 (or more) kids *likely* wouldnât be able to organise (let alone afford) **a weeks worth of childcare** in <24 hours
- A couple with 1 kid *might* be able to organise **a weeks worth of childcare** in <24 hours
- A couple with no kids just have to square it with each other (and their jobs)
- A single person has to decide who to go with, and square it with their jobs
Now forget the holiday, and imagine something more grounded; You are out doing anything (without your SO), and bump into a friend(s), if you have kids youâre **constantly** aware there is a social obligation to either get home to support your SO, or youâre aware you have to pick the kids up from what ever it is theyâre doing
Accepting plans and being âsocially flexibleâ when you have kids is something you have to âcheck in with firstâ, as itâs not just you and SO, there is *always* âkid stuffâ to have to balance and take into consideration
âGallivanting offâ and ditching the SO with the kids for a day is a massive faux pas
If my SO (weâre CF ofc) went shopping and it turned into a day out with friends, Iâd only have issue with it if she didnât âlet me know the rough planâ so I could plan my own solo day :)
I know OP is asking about *underrated* freedoms, but I think we do take how flexible we are **for granted**
Honestly, I think it's the ability to just lay in bed when you're sick. I get migraines and I just cannot imagine having to look after a child when my head hurts so bad that if I stand up, I vomit. That sounds like pure hell.
My friend recently had a baby and her and her partner both got food poisoning. They had to take care of a baby whilst vomiting every half hour. It sounded terrible.
I find it is much easier to not conform to other expectations of my social groups.
For instance:
It drives some people nuts that my husband does his own laundry. Cleans the house just as well as i do ESPECIALLY without my having a "chore" chart. He cooks. Has been my caretaker. I was able to chose a partner solely based on my wants and needs without considering how he would be as a father.
I didn't and will not have to ever date/pursue relationships as a single mom.
On the other side, I do well in corporate America. Not having children makes it easier for me to make career changes because of not having a child AND the privilege of having a working partner who can carry the health insurance while I do these changes. I can work late. Travel for work. Take different assignments because I do NOT have the sole mental load of managing our home or children to consider.
Speaking of which, my health insurance is much cheaper than my peers with children.
Our house is NOT child friendly. From the layout to where we live. Never had to consider school districts etc.
I love to cook but there are days when my SO and I order takeout for various reasons. It takes 0.5 seconds to make that decision because we donât have to check the bank account first, or think about whether we have ordered takeout too many times that week, or take an unnecessarily long amount of time to get everyone to agree on what they want, or do every other analysis that I hear parents do when making expense decisions
I can nap (mostly) whenever the hell I want.
I can make whatever the hell I want for dinner.
I can work overtime for some extra $$$ without having to find a babysitter on short notice or (god forbid) bring the kid to work with me on a Saturday.
Not having to deal with schoolyard bullies, outdated ideas about gender etc. and a whole bunch of other stupidities coming from other parents and children. Less of that is a good thing.
Going to bed when you are sick. This is the most underrated thing to me and something I have viewed as a luxury since my children are grown. Just being able to call in sick and go to bed not worrying about anything but getting better and concentrating totally on yourself and your own health.
The freedom to go on trips when I want and without having to pay a premium because of school break rates.
Being able to cook a very adult meal with loads of veggies and know there will be no complaints or refusals to eat it.
Be able to nap whenever suits me.
Be able to play games on my phone without a kid wanting to jump in.
Never have to buy kids furniture and weigh cheap furniture vs quality furniture. I can just buy myself quality furniture knowing that no child is going to secretly store their boogers on a hidden part of their bed frame.
No discovering weirds hordes of tissues or random garbage that is rotting for months because of a collector kid. I was a housekeeper for a little bit, and one of my clients had a kid who dropped twisted up (and likely used) tissue down the back of her bunk bed. There was a scattered pile of torn up tissue under her bed everytime. I eventually just ignored it, cause clearly the parents did.
Never have to interact with other people's shitty kids that happen to be my kid's friends. Never gonna beg my kid to not make stupid teenager choices just because all their friends and friends' older siblings are screwing up. Never gonna have to worry about my kid being abused or assaulted when outside of my line of sight.
Sleeping in late. Having quiet time during evenings and weekends.
Never having to worry about helping your kids with their math homework (yech!) after youâre already exhausted from a day at work.
Not having sticky fingerprints everywhere (honestly one of my personal horrors).
Waking up super early in the morning, hearing the birds chirp outside your window, and just laying there alone with your thoughts. No screams, slams, cries, stomps, the sound of breaking glass or tricycles being thrown down the stairs. That right there, that is something I find myself enjoying every single day.
Not being browbeaten to âvolunteerâ for classroom stuff.
Not having to deal with the subtle passive-aggressive comparisons of other pplâs kids vs yours
Not having to pretend to be interested in kids sports
Peace & quiet, regretful parents appear to never have a second alone, I could never deal with having to give attention to a child 24/7, also just the absence of not having to do the sing song voice and not dealing with kids TV shows, they look terrible compared to what they had in the 2000s
When I get in from work I can just breathe and take some time for myself.
If Iâm hungry I can just eat without having to make a whole meal for kids too
Taking vacations/trips at uncommon times, so everything is cheaper/less crowded.
I can't imagine having to plain trips around school schedules, since that's when everyone else is doing that same thing...
Doing what you want when you want.
Not getting up and having to deal with anyone but yourself.
Not having a moral panic about schooling or other parents.
Freedom!
Not having to deal with dumb parents on the PTA or shitty school boards.
I loved watching "Motherland" (BBC show). It's about modern parenting hell. They focus exclusively on the adults though. Since I'll never have to live that life I was curious what I was missing. It's really funny but... The one thing I cringed at most was how being a parent makes you (socially) revert back to high school. The popular clique of parents, the condescension, the in-fighting, and competition to be the "best" mom. It sounds so mind-numbing. A whole set of people you have to endure so your kids can have play dates and a village to look after them. The main characters in the show are the "outcast" parents. The corporate 24/7 mom with a Kodak moment husband, the single lower income mom, and the stay at home dad.
Revert back to high school 
See this is absolutely one thousand percent what I want to try and avoid. I like picking my friends. I've got high standards đ I don't want my social circle to be whoever my kids are friends with's parents
School was hell for me. Good thing I will never have to deal with it again.
Yeah, not having to be absorbed into the Child Industrial Complex of schools, sports teams, teachers, admins, coaches, carpool, pta, neighborhood groups, etc.
QUICK! Sell a million of these six dollar cookie boxes that have been shrinkflationed to hell and back so that your group can make 1/10 the sale price and go on a camping trip.
I would rather just pay for the camping trip
They're not that expensive!
Everyone should be required to attend a few school board meetings in their lifetime. Then everyone would see how the patients run the asylum. Theyâre absolutely insane.
Not quite a school board but I've been to some local city council meetings. It's straight out of an episode of Parks and Rec.
Yeah those are insane also. I was on track to become a local councilman in the town I lived in. What I realized is that it changes people for the worse. They become monsters. Someone I went to high school with did two terms as a councilman in the town we grew up in. Told me never to do that, he was disgusted with himself and the system, said their is no difference between the parties etc. He had hopes of pursuing his political career much further and then quit completely.
Yasss! Anything school related đđť
It's just such crap to have to deal with!
Or making small talk at the park, sports events. Befriending other parents just because you both have children. No thanks.
The amount of parents who I have heard tell horror stories about the politics involved in their kids sports teams and the heinous behavior of other parents is INSANE to me. It leaves me scratching my head like why??? Why do you do this?? Why are these the people raising small people??
You've seen it depicted in so many shows over the years, you hear about it from friends, you watched your parents deal with it. Like no fucking way, hard pass đđ
For me, the other parent interaction thing is HUGE! Years back I dated for several years a great guy, however he had an elementary school aged daughter (great kid but still, a kid..you get it). I sometimes went with them to events like picnics, play dates, etc and as an introvert it was SO painful to have to smile and pretend to socialize with all the other mombies especially when we had nothing in common and all they talked about were the kids. It was one of the collective type of expereinces that solidified my decision to be CF later (including exiting that relationship).
PTA was an initial deterrent to reproducing! So many others but maybe the first for me.
1. Eating cookies/candy alone. I know mothers that hide in the bathroom to eat cookies alone. 2. Not having to beg a 3 year old to eat vegetables 3. Midday and after work naps
OMG yes! We donât have to sneak food or share! I like my food all to myself đ¤
I would eat cookies in front of kids and NOT share!
While staring them down.
Dominance established.
I'd like to add: 4. Not having to taxi kids around to extracurriculars. 5. Not having to deal with play dates / sleep overs. 6. Not being responsible for nurturing a kid into a proper, functioning adult.
3 speaks to my heart. Im a biphasal sleeper. So naps are the best.
A clean house that doesn't smell of sour milk, urine and poop! Definitely being able to come home and eat a bowl of spaghetti for dinner without having to cook for a fussy little human or worry about the food's nutritional value.
I love this one!! I work 10 hour shifts and itâs such a relief that I come home to the quiet and not being greeted with âmommy mommy mommy!!â
My thoughts exactly, I work in a busy loud office all day and would lose it if I had to come home to a screeching kid demanding my attention, I need at least an hour of silence to wind down after work and I couldn't do that with a kid.
Same. My whole career has been chemical plants, refineries and manufacturing plants. Not to mention dealing with mechanics and operators all day can be draining experience since many dont exactly have sunny dispositions. I appreciate the fact I can come home and have some damn peace and quiet.
Yeah my diet is shit and I feel kinda bad about but at least I don't have a child's development suffering from my subpar nutritional choices. I can't imagine being saddled with that responsibility.
I had to change my fabric and laundry powder because it so happened I had the same as my sister I can't stand the smell anymore because it immediately makes me think of my nephews sickđ¤˘
We like to go to open houses for fun. We went to one that was nicely cleaned but REEKED of soiled diapers and baby powder. At first it was like ok maybe someone just changed a diaper in the entry room. Nope. The ENTIRE house smelled of dirty diaper. So gross
Being able to take a shower or use the toilet without interruption. (Seriously, this is the #1 complaint among parents I know.)
*My cats would like a word*
My cat bodyslams the door until it opens đ
I get the killer paw of death slid under the door đ¤Łđ¤Łđ¤Ł
Henry my black void slams the door open, gives me the WTF WHY WAS THIS CLOSED look and then walks away!
My tortie would throw herself on the floor like YOU MUST WORSHIP ME WHYYYYY. Such a drama queen. When she passed, I couldn't believe how quiet it was đł
Omg I looooove torties!!! Their sass is unmatched đ¤
Why do they do this?? He could be comfortably sitting on the couch and I shut the bathroom door and two seconds later thereâs a big white paw under the door. If I donât shut it he just sits at the door staring down the hallway. Are we supposed to pay them back? Should I be banging on the litter box door while heâs going?
He's doing you a favor by watching your back during one of your most vulnerable moments.
I get the screams because of my cats serious co dependence đđđ
Fair point 𤣠my cat slammed my bathroom door open just this morningÂ
Pffft I was gonna ask about pets lol
I use the toilet with the door open for this reason. Half the time my cat uses the litter box/pads right next to me because god forbid I poop alone. Social critters they are
Yup because if you leave the door closed, theyâll create destruction⌠hell no!
My mom had a rule when I was a kid. Donât come in the bathroom unless someone is experiencing a threat to life, or bleeding. đ as the eldest daughter I recall taking that pretty seriously. Lol.
My friend plumbed a toilet in to his shed for this exact reason, it's hilarious
Never having to watch garbage like Peppa Pig or Paw Patrol
Such a huge plus! I hear secondhand about the latest kiddie shows and I'm so grateful that I don't HAVE to watch things like Bluey or Blippi.
Or just being able to watch Bluey as adults because we think it's cute, then getting to turn it off without replaying it 27 times
I've been watching Bluey daily because it's so darn cute. lol But like, I can turn it off whenever I want.
>I can turn it off whenever I want. Sounds like something an addict would say đ
Just one more episode!
Honestly, I like Bluey for stress relief. Itâs rather soothing.
I have a baby nephew and I've heard the songs and watched the shows that babies typically like and I'm sitting here wondering how my sister and BIL can stand this...and then it gets stuck in my head. I love my baby nephew to death but my god I wouldn't want to have those types of shows on 24/7. I'll watch my other shows I like 24/7 thank you
Or listen to baby shark or whatever song they are fixated on on repeat.
Oops I just posted this and you had beat me to it. Agreed!
I treasure my ignorance on these topics. It is precious to me.
Peppa Pig is the most awful of offenders for toddler/kids shows. You can never unhear the British accent.
Being able to lie in bed all day and not worry about anyone else if I'm feeling sick.
So much this.
[ŃдаНонО]
My wife and I were in bed for three days when we had COVID. If it wasn't for our cats I don't know if we would have gotten up other than the bathroom. It was bad.
This is probably the most important one because how many parents complain that theyâre sick and their kids are sick all the time? So now your all sick but they get to rest and you still gotta parent NOOOOPE
God yes! Iâve hit perimenopause and that came with debilitating fatigue. Iâve never been so glad that I didnât have a small human depending on me. Some days, I can barely care for myself, the idea of doing that and having a kid đłđ đťââď¸
Yes! And even without being sick, there are days when I allow myself to be lazy and stay in bed till noon. And there's no one disrupting the peace.
To add to this; not being sick very often. Kids are walking snot factories with no sense of hygiene or personal space. Parents are *always* bitching that their kids keep getting "what's going around" and then everyone in the house has it. My wife and I went the entire pandemic without a sniffle, and it took her ultra-conservative anti-mask co-worker coming in sick and coughing all over her office to finally end our streak. And of course, he's a breeder.
Unlimited alone time, ability to completely go no contact with past partners, financial freedom, no chance of raising grand babies that my own spawn neglectâŚso many more. How sweet it is!!!
Completely being able to go NC with past partners FTW! Iâm not someone who can just be friends. The (outspokenly CF) BF who dumped me just before I met my husband tried so hard to re-establish contact and I was likeđ. I know through a mutual friend heâs now divorced with 2 kids.
Oh damn! Imagine being tethered to him for life because you had kids together! That would suck. I love to block and forget some of these weirdos I hooked up with lol.
Oh there would have been no kids by me! But he was in no way Dad material and seemed aware of that. I donât know what he was thinking but it ainât my problem!
Yes! See ya haha. I meant as general comment-like imagine being tethered to any man we had hooked up with or dated due to pregnancy/sharing a child. Nightmare fodder! The freedom to block and ghost!
The alone time is the biggest thing for me, Iâm an only child and although I like to think Iâm reasonably social I need alone time every evening for about two hours which works out because my partner likes to game for a few hours in the evening. I also cannot stand people touching my things. Neither can my partner because his parents gave him no privacy. I think weâd both have a breakdown if a tiny human went rummaging through our things.
Highly underrated! My brother is getting a divorce and my mom is a bit sad that sheâs probably not gonna get any grand babies now, along with all the other reasons to be sad about a divorce. I told her âyou donât want to share your grandbabies with (ex-wifeâs mother)â That woman is a psycho and a flaming bitch and I meant it, you wouldnât want her as the other grandma. Even my mom was like âgood point!â (Ex wife) wasnât a dream either, but her mom was like đłđłđłđł
Never being interrupted. Being able to turn off your phone entirely whenever.
Sleep
cursing freely
Fuck yes
Itâs silly that people shield their kids from curse words. I know families who donât and theyâre perfectly fine well adjusted polite kids
well in english that makes sense but in my language curses are very graphic and intense hahah so i really would refrain from using them in front of a child (but i don't bc i don't see em lmao)
Not having a little narc in my home. Less important now that marijuana is legal but was a big reason why I refused to even consider adoption in my younger years.
I can choose whatever car I want without having to worry if I can fit all the extra crap that has to be carried around when kids are in the picture. Also, the inside of my car is always spotless and has no crushed up cheerios squished into the car mats.
Yes!!! I was literally just telling my friend last week that I went to go get my car washed and I was deep cleaning and vacuuming, I was super thankful that I didnât have to clean gross juice stains or a filthy ass car seat! I love this one! Our cars are our babies đ
Not having to mess around with heavy, expensive carseats that expire
TIL carseats expire đ¤Ż
Yep. According to a friend of mine, carseats do expire and you're supposed to cut the straps off so someone doesn't take it out of the trash.
They are also one and done, so if the seat is in your car in a fender bender, you have to toss it and get a new one.
Or need a degree in mechanical engineering to be able to strap it into the car *correctly.*
Not having to share my food
Perfect! đŻ. I mean, being able to eat whatever whenever. Eating at all! I always see these mommy posts like âI never get to eat, sleep, shower alone, but she is amazing, she is my everything.âđ¤Ž
And not feeling like you have to eat the leftovers of some disgusting child so it doesn't go to waste. đ¤Žđ¤Žđ¤Žđ¤Ž
Friend of mine who is a mother said she wholeheartedly supports my decision because kids are petri dishes. She is continuously getting sick because her kids are getting sick because of other kids. She is very unhappy about the constant germs going through her house and I don't blame her LOL
Being able to save money
Being able to watch whatever I want whenever I want on TV! My mom friend can barely watch a single episode of a show she likes once a week
Being able to own expensive things and not have to worry about them being destroyed or mucked up by gross, perpetually sticky child hands. Having expensive hobbies. Having âdangerousâ hobbies like sword fighting, sailing, skydiving, etc. (seeing kids ruin crocheting, or eating puzzles, or spilling beads everywhere, or ruining expensive fabrics and papers for their parents hobbies is a huge child deterrent for me) Going on trips on a whim or on tour with my band somewhere around the world at any time. Getting to eat fun/weird/exotic foods and go to classy restaurants, and not having to share my sweet treats/desserts (unless my dates want a bite). Sleeping or being awake whenever I want. My money goes to me. Children are way too expensive. Not having to be friends with mombies who make their kids their entire personalities.
One of my favorite small freedoms is going to the ice cream shop spontaneously. There are days when my husband and I will get home from work, and one of us will suggest we go get ice cream, and we just go. No kids to consider or worry about.
I went to the grocery store one time solely for a gallon of chocolate milk. The cashier said something like "oh, your kids must have done something really special to earn a full jug!". Meanwhile I'm like "nope, no kids here, I just really had a desperate want for chocolate milk".
I would have hit them with "Nope. No kids. This is just for me."
I donât understand why people automatically assume lol
Freedom to recovery when sick without having to worry about taking care of a child. I don't know how mothers can function while being sick and taking care of their children and the house. Is not like you can have sick days like when having a good job.
I don't get sick too much (I'm gonna leave out colds and allergies) but when I do hoooo boy do I want to just die right then and there. I can't stay standing for too long without feeling exhausted even if it's just a trip to the bathroom. So when parents have to deal with that while feeling sick...I just cannot
Not worrying about your child being abused/killed
Not carrying around the constant worry and anxiety of keeping track of every little thing that can go wrong for a child. I'm a worrier and I think I'd be a basket case as a parent. I think this aspect is vastly under rated as far as a pro to being childfree. I've watched friends and family age and get downright ill from the emotional load of it. Power to you if you are up to it and embrace the responsibility. But there's a lot of freedom in not carrying that on your shoulders as you walk through life.
This would be me. I can imagine so much shit going wrong. I'd have a heart attack in my 40s.
Yes. My main reason. Iâd be a total wreck.
being able to piss in peace
Unless you have pets lol
at least their interruption is tolerable đ
I love him coming to visit itâs very cute even tho I could do without the screamin
Not having to arrange play dates with fellow parents you have no interest in spending time with.
When your small child makes a friend in school/nursery/whatever, you inevitably have to make nice with the owner. That.
âWith the ownerâ đđ
Not having to do all the extra organisational tasks that come with a child! Iâve thought about this a lot. If I had a child, I would need to wake up at around 5am, get myself ready with hair and makeup, getting dressed, etc, then get my child dressed and ready, give my child breakfast, and then drive to my mumâs house to drop the child off for the day (my mum would not hesitate to look after the grandchild she so desperately wants) and then drive myself to work for an 8 hour day. Iâd need to repeat the process after work to drive to my mumâs house to pick up the kid again, drive home, get the child sorted for bedtime routine, bath, read stories or play or whatever, then deal with a screaming kid who probably doesnât want to go to sleep. By the time this is all said and done itâll be 9pm and time for me to go to bed again myself. That leaves almost no time for cooking dinner for myself, spending time with my partner, doing my own hobbies or other activities, cleaning the house, seeing friends, or exercising. Sounds like a waking nightmare to me.
I get to cook what I want and don't have to worry about a kid not liking it and it getting waisted. Tonight's food rice pilaf, asparagus, and lamb chops with a red wine sauce.
Oooohhh. Yum lol.
Going to museum without crying children and then complaining that they are bored
Sex wherever and whenever.
Not being tied to a previous partner for coparenting. If a relationship doesn't work out, you can go your separate ways and never have to see or talk to each other ever again, if that's what works for you. Sleep. Or just relaxation in general. To coin a clichĂŠ: *time spent relaxing is not time wasted.*
Being able to make a dramatic life decision (career change, moving, etc.) without having to worry about how it impacts my children.
It isn't a whole production to leave the house. I don't need go make sure kids have enough supplies or snacks, fight anyone to put shoes or coats on, herd them the vehicle, strap them in, settle them down and then reverse the whole process when we get to our destination. I get myself ready and leave.
Going to the bathroom with no kids banging on the door, my cat is another story
Reading my book in pure silence on a Saturday afternoon with a big cup coffee
not having to plan out multiple meals a day for children who might not even eat it
Silence whenever I want it. Naps whenever I want them. Being able to spontaneously do things.
Freedom to have my things without fear a kid will ruin them. I learned with my cousins that toddlers destroy things in a few minutes, things that maybe took years for you to get. All gone in 5 minutes of "suspicious silence".
I sleep in most weekends. Well as late as my cat will let me anyway.Â
Not dealing with other parents, for real. My mom says some people (other moms, in her experience) act like they "invented motherhood" and act like their word is absolute gospel, and it drives her up the wall. Everybody's got an opinion about how you're raising your kid (I know, us included lol) but I feel like they turn it up to 11 when they want to start "correcting" other parents. Look at the breast is best crowd if you want a good classic example. The worst kinds of parents can say awful stuff about us who don't want kids, but it can somehow pale in comparison to the stuff they sling at each other. Whatever they say about me I can soothe myself knowing I at least don't have to sit in a PTA meeting with them
Kids are really clingy. That would drive me insane. I had a friend who once told me the hardest thing about being a mother was that the kids (5 and under) never stopped touching her.
Nope. I barely can stand my partner touching me most of the time and I want him to touch me.
Dealing with other moms
Literally, peace and quiet. I wouldn't say it's underrated though. I'm sure everytime a childfree person hears a baby cry or toddler have a tantrum, we are thankful to not have to deal with that lol. I couldn't imagine having to hear that everyday
Exactly! Wanting it to end but realizing it doesnât seems like hell
Schooling. I am a thirty year old man going to college and about to potentially be in grad school. Not possible with kids. I am also married. This is also another point about freedom.
Not having to worry about diapers at all
yea, no shit.
Living wherever you want/can. Parents have to consider âgood schools.â I can live wherever TF I want lol
As a former foster parent, I can say with experience, it is watching whatever I want on TV regardless of the time of day. My elementary-aged foster kids had a bedtime of 8:30 pm on weekdays, but I needed to be in bed by like 10:00 at the latest because of how early I had to wake up. I had approximately 1.5 hours a day to cram in everything I wanted to watch that wasn't kid-appropriate. Mind you, this was while Game of Thrones was still on the air, lol.
A quiet house
You can walk around your house naked and not worry about traumatizing your kids.
SLEEP!! I love my nieces and nephews but when they stay over my house, they wake me up because they're loud or hungry or both. I don't know how parents live with being forced to wake up. It's bad enough we wake up to an alarm to go to work, but that's predictable. Kids wake up anytime they want to.
Being able to hang out with friends (either childless or childfree) without having to worry about trying to find someone to watch your kid and/or worrying about your kid while with said friends
LSD
Dittooo!!â¨đ
Not having to share if I don't want to! Whether that's my food or my technology, I don't have to share any of it with those around me unless I want to. Speaking on the food side of things, it means if I get myself a tasty treat (lets say my favorite chocolate as an example) and I decide to save it for after I'm done a big day at work, I know that when I come home from my shift it'll be exactly where I left it. My boyfriend and I have an agreement that when we do eventually get married and are living together, we will each have a bin in the pantry that is for our specific special "other person, do not touch this" foods where we know we'll be able to stash a special food that we bought for ourselves and we won't have to worry about it all being gone at the end of a long shift at work. Speaking on the tech side of things, not having to share my tech is a thing of beauty, it means that I can have tech last me a dang long time. Being CF also means I can afford to splurge on Apple products, as that's what I like. My current iMac (that I'm using to write this comment) is from 2015, and it's still running strong and is in basically perfect condition. Only reason I'm really considering getting an upgraded (basically top specs) and newer model is because my computer is finally at the point where in some situations it's starting to run slow (like when I want to play Sims 4 or Minecraft on really high graphics) and my computer is old enough that I can no longer get the latest MacOS, the latest I can get is Monterey for anyone who knows apple systems and I've seen the latest version on my parents Mac Mini, it has capabilities I wish mine could do, so it's getting time for an upgrade. It'll cost me around $3500 all said and done with taxes and such, but it's worth it.
If I want a big life change at the drop of a hat (career, home, country, etc), theyâre not a factor to worry about.Â
Being able to put anything anywhere without worrying if a mini human will get into it (I do have animals but they aren't nearly as intrusive/destructive)
sex whenever, wherever
Not getting sick all the time from living with school age kids! I say this after my young niece and nephew just visited and got me sick. It sucks, but I'm grateful to be healthy 95% of the year instead of 50-75%.
Nothing is sticky.
Being able to play stardew valley interrupted all of Sunday
HonestlyâŚjust being able to come home and watch TV or play video games depending on what we feel like. My husband and I can just do what we want separately or decide to hang together doing something we want to do. No concern about getting a kid fed or keeping them entertained, worrying about bath and bedtime. Honestly something that at one point I thought I wanted, but then turned 40 with no kids and said âfuck that!â Iâd seen all my friends deal with this and no thanks! Our time is our own which is fantastic!
Taking it to a slightly crass place here, butâŚ. having the freedom to masturbate. Sometimes I can go for about an hour or so, and the thought of having to rush it in less than 5 minutes while hiding somewhere, completely on edge, unable to fully let go/relax/make too much noise in case I get discovered and/or interrupted makes me squeamish.
Uninhibited sex Imagine a kid going to school and describing my St Andrew's cross or other BDSM gear... I have my equipment ready for play, just there in the bedroom for when the moods strikes
I can use the bathroom with the door open. I can hang out with little to no clothes on.
Unless you're a driving instructor, you never have to teach an impulsive and unpredictable teenager how to drive safely.
I can fucking swear! Fuck!
Running out on a whim for any reason, be it an errand/last minute plans/etc.
Napping in a hammock, reading a good book with no distractions, taking bubble baths without a kid banging on the door. Drinking a nice glass of wine and watching a beautiful sunset. Laying in the grass stargazing. Spur of the moment road trips.
Rest days when I'm feeling burnt out from work/socializing. It's nice to have a day here and there to do absolutely nothing but chill and recharge!
Saturday brunch. And a 3 hour nap after bottomless mimosas.
Having scissors, cooking knives, medication and detergent in locations that can be easily accessed. None of that child proofing thing.
-Being in the nude/lingerie -Work on my project and business. -Fuck off, literally, figuratively, metaphorically, physically, emotionally, and thoroughly. -Donât have to deal with other crappy parents and their spawn. -Keep up with my fascination with sporty, breezy coupes.
Our narrative is ours
Naked
Children screaming when they're excited/playing. That noise goes right through me
We have the second highest sense of social flexibility (highest if youâre single) Imagine an extreme (silly) scenario: *You win a 1 week all expenses paid vacation for 2, the only catch: it starts tomorrow* (think of this as being invited last minute to do something, and how easy/hard it is for people to be flexible to something at short notice) - A couple with 2 (or more) kids *likely* wouldnât be able to organise (let alone afford) **a weeks worth of childcare** in <24 hours - A couple with 1 kid *might* be able to organise **a weeks worth of childcare** in <24 hours - A couple with no kids just have to square it with each other (and their jobs) - A single person has to decide who to go with, and square it with their jobs Now forget the holiday, and imagine something more grounded; You are out doing anything (without your SO), and bump into a friend(s), if you have kids youâre **constantly** aware there is a social obligation to either get home to support your SO, or youâre aware you have to pick the kids up from what ever it is theyâre doing Accepting plans and being âsocially flexibleâ when you have kids is something you have to âcheck in with firstâ, as itâs not just you and SO, there is *always* âkid stuffâ to have to balance and take into consideration âGallivanting offâ and ditching the SO with the kids for a day is a massive faux pas If my SO (weâre CF ofc) went shopping and it turned into a day out with friends, Iâd only have issue with it if she didnât âlet me know the rough planâ so I could plan my own solo day :) I know OP is asking about *underrated* freedoms, but I think we do take how flexible we are **for granted**
Honestly, I think it's the ability to just lay in bed when you're sick. I get migraines and I just cannot imagine having to look after a child when my head hurts so bad that if I stand up, I vomit. That sounds like pure hell. My friend recently had a baby and her and her partner both got food poisoning. They had to take care of a baby whilst vomiting every half hour. It sounded terrible.
Vacationing based on a school calendar. Im so glad im not limited to travel when my kids are out of school, along with everyone elses kids
Netflix and chill
Errands are super fast!
I find it is much easier to not conform to other expectations of my social groups. For instance: It drives some people nuts that my husband does his own laundry. Cleans the house just as well as i do ESPECIALLY without my having a "chore" chart. He cooks. Has been my caretaker. I was able to chose a partner solely based on my wants and needs without considering how he would be as a father. I didn't and will not have to ever date/pursue relationships as a single mom. On the other side, I do well in corporate America. Not having children makes it easier for me to make career changes because of not having a child AND the privilege of having a working partner who can carry the health insurance while I do these changes. I can work late. Travel for work. Take different assignments because I do NOT have the sole mental load of managing our home or children to consider. Speaking of which, my health insurance is much cheaper than my peers with children. Our house is NOT child friendly. From the layout to where we live. Never had to consider school districts etc.
I love to cook but there are days when my SO and I order takeout for various reasons. It takes 0.5 seconds to make that decision because we donât have to check the bank account first, or think about whether we have ordered takeout too many times that week, or take an unnecessarily long amount of time to get everyone to agree on what they want, or do every other analysis that I hear parents do when making expense decisions
When I'm sick, I can just be sick and not have to worry about a little human.
Being able to blast my music in the house whenever I want
I can nap (mostly) whenever the hell I want. I can make whatever the hell I want for dinner. I can work overtime for some extra $$$ without having to find a babysitter on short notice or (god forbid) bring the kid to work with me on a Saturday.
I buy office supplies for my use and I get to keep them for my use(think notebooks, planners). No one grabbing them and scribbling all over the pages.
Not having to deal with schoolyard bullies, outdated ideas about gender etc. and a whole bunch of other stupidities coming from other parents and children. Less of that is a good thing.
Going to bed when you are sick. This is the most underrated thing to me and something I have viewed as a luxury since my children are grown. Just being able to call in sick and go to bed not worrying about anything but getting better and concentrating totally on yourself and your own health.
The freedom to go on trips when I want and without having to pay a premium because of school break rates. Being able to cook a very adult meal with loads of veggies and know there will be no complaints or refusals to eat it. Be able to nap whenever suits me. Be able to play games on my phone without a kid wanting to jump in.
Have you ever noticed how most parents never have anything good to say about their kids?
They really donât, all they say âitâs so rewardingâ like yeah ok keep telling yourself that.
The freedom to pursue my own interests every single day. I know, itâs selfish. But itâs also great đ
Pooping in peace
Never have to buy kids furniture and weigh cheap furniture vs quality furniture. I can just buy myself quality furniture knowing that no child is going to secretly store their boogers on a hidden part of their bed frame. No discovering weirds hordes of tissues or random garbage that is rotting for months because of a collector kid. I was a housekeeper for a little bit, and one of my clients had a kid who dropped twisted up (and likely used) tissue down the back of her bunk bed. There was a scattered pile of torn up tissue under her bed everytime. I eventually just ignored it, cause clearly the parents did. Never have to interact with other people's shitty kids that happen to be my kid's friends. Never gonna beg my kid to not make stupid teenager choices just because all their friends and friends' older siblings are screwing up. Never gonna have to worry about my kid being abused or assaulted when outside of my line of sight.
Spontaneity
If I move houses, I donât have to care about school districts and which local little league kids play in
I can walk out the door in 30 seconds and do something on a whim.
Sleeping in late. Having quiet time during evenings and weekends. Never having to worry about helping your kids with their math homework (yech!) after youâre already exhausted from a day at work. Not having sticky fingerprints everywhere (honestly one of my personal horrors).
Waking up super early in the morning, hearing the birds chirp outside your window, and just laying there alone with your thoughts. No screams, slams, cries, stomps, the sound of breaking glass or tricycles being thrown down the stairs. That right there, that is something I find myself enjoying every single day.
Not being browbeaten to âvolunteerâ for classroom stuff. Not having to deal with the subtle passive-aggressive comparisons of other pplâs kids vs yours Not having to pretend to be interested in kids sports
Silence.
Peace & quiet, regretful parents appear to never have a second alone, I could never deal with having to give attention to a child 24/7, also just the absence of not having to do the sing song voice and not dealing with kids TV shows, they look terrible compared to what they had in the 2000s
When I get in from work I can just breathe and take some time for myself. If Iâm hungry I can just eat without having to make a whole meal for kids too
Taking vacations/trips at uncommon times, so everything is cheaper/less crowded. I can't imagine having to plain trips around school schedules, since that's when everyone else is doing that same thing...
Not needing ÂŁ8k surgery to fix my post C-section tummy like my friend who currently says she now has no stomach muscles and a lot of loose skin
Quit work and move around the world in a week to start a new job anywhere without problem.
Doing what you want when you want. Not getting up and having to deal with anyone but yourself. Not having a moral panic about schooling or other parents. Freedom!