I honestly don't think I want kids. Neither does my girlfriend, so we're okay.
I'd rather be the cool uncle who babysits my friends' kids and gives them junk food and stuffs their brains full of such nerdiness as Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, while their parents take a night off. Then, come morning, I can give the brats back and go about my day to day life.
I guess you could say I'd rather borrow kids for a day than have my own.

I am really undecided. My desire to have children fluctuates, but logically, I would have to say it's a bad idea. I'm a little too weird and I think my kids would grow up really weird since I would inevitably have kids with a woman who matches me in weirdness. Not to mention I'm still psychologically a teenage boy in some ways.

If they ever perfect that 'female sperm' thing, it will throw the male/female ratio out of whack. Two females (as in possessing two chromosomes) could only have a daughter since either parent could only donate an X chromosome. They need to also work on male eggs :-P

Isn't it possible to keep an oviary so you can have kids that are biologically yours, then just have a surrogate mother carry it?

I'm afraid of becoming a parent, since I never had a normal relationship with my parents. I used to hate kids, but now that I have a 1 year old little sister, they have grown on me a little more. I understand why people want to have them now. If I settle down, and we decide to start a family, I would wan't to adopt. Why bring another child into this world when there are so many that need parents? If they are set on having biological children, then I guess we would need to have at least two kids. If I can love my dog as a part of the family then I can love any child.

Quote from: Aegir on October 23, 2010, 03:20:05 AM
Heh I second that Arch. I cannot tolerate a noisy baby.

I don't even like the quiet ones.

One nice thing about transition: now people don't try to hand their infants to me or ask me to ooh-ah-so-cute over them.

Please tell me why some women actually get offended if you don't want to hold their spawn? Seems to me you wouldn't want people handling your kid if you could help it.

it's lovely being a parent and a grandparent and a greatgrandparent and having friends and relatives bring their kids round and let me hold them and play silly games to make them laugh.
most people love to pass babies around so long as they aren't squalling or threatening to vomit.

Quote from: Arch on October 24, 2010, 03:30:18 AM
Please tell me why some women actually get offended if you don't want to hold their spawn? Seems to me you wouldn't want people handling your kid if you could help it.

I am also curious about this.

I've tried to relate.

I don't let other people drive my car, I hate other people using my computers, and I'm very ill at ease if someone were to sit in my chair. I don't care either way if people want to fawn over my very friendly goldfish - it's their choice - I'm happy enough with my aquatic companions not to require others to reinforce my decision to have them around.

So what on earth possesses people to palm off their crotchdroppings on to others?!

I mean, I think my little buddies are awesome, but I'm not going to get even a little peeved if someone says "Meh... fish".

Hell, people used to run from my python seriously screaming "Kill it! Kill it! Get it away from me!" and I wasn't offended. Some people just don't like snakes, like some people just don't like kids.

Why do they interpret my intense dislike of children as a personal affront?

Perhaps they're just jealous my sportscar isn't covered in sticky handprints and window-smeared boogers

Quote from: Arch on October 24, 2010, 03:30:18 AM
Please tell me why some women actually get offended if you don't want to hold their spawn? Seems to me you wouldn't want people handling your kid if you could help it.

I like kids, and I don't get that either.  Why are women expected to tell other women that their babies are cute?  It's as though they have to be reassured because they privately fear that their baby isn't cute enough.  Or, more likely, they just want attention, and are happy to get it vicariously through their baby.  If I had a baby, I don't think I'd want lots of people touching it.  That seems unsanitary and I just don't see the point.

And, for the record, I also think babies are kind of unpleasant.  They're noisy, messy, and dirty.  In general, babies are not much fun.  But I think that if it was my own child, I would love it.  After all, they turn into kids pretty fast, and kids are a lot of fun.

Crtotch droppins - excellent. They aren't even that cute.. they poop, throw up, scream, cry.. I mean later on it gets better... but still. I dont think I want a kid with my genetics, even given the option that I could impregnate someone. I don't feel like a breeder. I'd rather take in kids that need a home. Granted.. older kids whos bum I do not have to wipe. I am not doing diapers.

In my triad relationship, my male partner obnoxiously insisted that both I and my wife bear children. I broke up with them for many reasons, but that was the last straw.

My last partner and I were both pretty clear about not wanting kids at all, ever. Our disdain was manifest throughout the relationship. Some fifteen or sixteen years into the relationship, he was pushing forty. I was tired of pumping female hormones into my body (via the Pill). I worried about long-term use. I suspected that the Pill messed with my moods, and I resented the Pill's implication that I was female. (I was back in the closet by then and had issues.) Anyway, since neither of us wanted kids, I asked him if he would be willing to step up to the plate and get a vasectomy so I could stop taking the Pill. I couldn't use spermicides and stuff, and we both hated condoms.

He suddenly backpedaled and said that he wanted to keep his options open. If something happened to me, he said, he might find another partner and want kids with her.

Yeah, right.

Just be honest, man. You don't want to get snipped. I probably wouldn't either. But don't suddenly pretend that you're interested in children when it's quite clear that you aren't.

Quote from: Alexmakenoise on October 24, 2010, 10:01:30 AM
Why are women expected to tell other women that their babies are cute?  It's as though they have to be reassured because they privately fear that their baby isn't cute enough.  Or, more likely, they just want attention, and are happy to get it vicariously through their baby.  If I had a baby, I don't think I'd want lots of people touching it.  That seems unsanitary and I just don't see the point.

When I worked in Obstetrics, almost anything would have the mothers saking for reassurance of some kind or another.

Lets face it, really cute babies are quite rare. Most are basically the same, some are really quite ugly. But it costs nothing to give them that and the effect will help their bonding, which can only help the child.

I hope you all undrstand that I really do appreciate your own feelings, but when mothers seek reassurance about their baby, the best and easiest thing to do is give it to them.

If, for example, that child is transgendered, then it's gonna need that bond. That's what the bond is for.

Having said that, I love babies. I love children. And I really understand those who don't get the same level of pleasure.

Lilac and daughter.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/55097459@N05/

I've been around babies all my life. Or, well, children. My brother was born when I was six. I love him so much and I took care of him basically all the time. I changed his diapers and everything. But yeah. I was an UGLY ->-bleeped-<-ing baby. In my defense, I was born three months early. So I have an excuse.

I'm childless by choice but I really like babies and I love kids.... Especially if I can corrupt them with incorrect "facts" about the world, have an excuse to play with legos or colouring books and sugar em up real good before I send em back to their parents. Every once in awhile I'll have a bout of "baby fever" and think I want a kid but after about a day I come to my senses. *whew!* I mean seriously... I'm barely responsible enough to run my own life. I can't imagine having to be completely and totally responsible for someone else.

As far as the passing babies around thing... It actually helps build their immune systems. People in general are fairly clean but if a baby come into contact with a minor version of a major bug it helps naturally inoculate it. So, baby haters, if some crazy woman tries to hand you her kid just tell her you accidentally dropped a baby once. They won't ever offer again heh

I don't like kids much.  I don't want any of my own or other peoples' kids in my life.  I'll just take the money thanks   

I'd like to have kids...far, far in the future. I'm going to adopt, though. The world is overpopulated as it is, and there are plenty of babies and children out there without good homes.

Kids are awesome. The trick is to just deal with them like they're adults. Even if they're bratty, they should calm down eventually. Babies are a different story though. I'm never touching any dirty diapers. :p