International Childfree Day: A day worth celebrating? Why or why not?

1. 71

   sockiiposted 8 years ago

   International Childfree Day: A day worth celebrating? Why or why not?
   
   Moms, dads, grandparents, teachers, secretaries...everybody gets their "day" of recognition on the modern calendar. As such, August 1st is International Childfree Day, a day to recognize all individuals who have made the conscious decision not to have children. Yet I have heard some people--typically parents--who object to the idea of a "Childfree Day", even calling it "unthinkable" or inappropriate. Why would that be the case? Why would you say the childfree don't deserve their own day of recognition? Contrarily, why do you feel honoring the childfree is an important thing to do?
   
   

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2. 85

   gmwilliamsposted 8 years ago

   
   
   As I have stated before, there is an underlying prejudice against childfree and 1 child families.  These family groups are not considered to be authentic families by the sibling and pronatalist society and culture.  In their mind's view, family consists of children and the more, the better.  Many people are actually aghast at the thought that there are those of us who do not want birth children.  It is unimaginable in their minds that people are happy being childfree.  Well, not everyone wants to have children.
   
   Yes, there should be a childfree day.  It takes strength not to cave into societal, cultural, familial, and religious pressure to "be fruitful and multiply".  It takes thought not to have children because one feels that h/she is not suited to have them or simply do not wish to have them.  There is nothing absolutely wrong in not having children.  There is a life beyond having children.  There are friends, careers, self advancement and enrichment, and other pleasurable pursuits.  One can be happy without children.  However, in this pronatalist society and culture, it is vehemently contended that in order to be whole and happy, one MUST have children.  Sadly, many people fall for the hyperbole.

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   1. 91

      Kylyssaposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      It's weird how people resist it when you call something other than mommy and daddy plus children a family.

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   2. 85

      gmwilliamsposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      In this pronatalist society and culture, family is 2 or more children.  Even 1 child families AREN'T considered authentic or true families. Prejudice exists against childfree families to the nth degree as 1 child families.

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3. 88

   Virginia Allainposted 8 years ago

   I like the idea. It gives people, like me, who have chosen not to have children, a day to feel validated. As Grace said, the expectation that everyone will have children does make the childfree people feel marginalized at times.
   
   I'm in my 60s now and never have regretted my choice. I like children and enjoy my nieces and nephews but never felt the desire to have one of my own and devote 18 years to raising it.

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4. 86

   M. T. Dremerposted 8 years ago

   As part of a couple that has trouble conceiving, I think it's a great idea. So much of society suggests that the childless are 'broken', 'abnormal', or 'selfish'. Which can be really damaging to the people who are without children, whether they chose it or not. So, celebrating a child free day is a good way to recognize those people, and tell them that they aren't alone.

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