Vicarious Rocky

Uh, No. That’s not what’s been asked of me. In fact, the only word I can think to describe childfree women, always includes a reference to the non-existence of children and seem to have negative connotations in the true sense. Negative as in someone who is “without.” Spinster, Barren, Child-less, Non-Mother. This is a problem. And so when a colleague asked at our Holiday party if women felt pressured to breed, I think the best answer I can give him is the task to think and look for positive words that connote and describe females (or coupled males) without kids.

You can be without a spouse (widow), without a partner (single), but without a kid? Childfree I think is as close as it gets and there is "child" in the damn word.

You might say, “Oh, well, that’s nature’s fault. Having a child is the default, see?” I hate the nature argument because shitting outside is “natural” too and yet when people talk about remodeling their bathroom it is never discussed in constant relation to the natural default. Just imagine, “This is where we’ll be not shitting in the woods over here.” “This is where we’ll put the paper holder, so we’re not wiping with leaves.” And yet as I sit to write about the blessings of being childfree, my whole brain is drawn to comparisons just like that. “Well, you don’t have to get up at 6am everyday. You have time to read without someone hanging on you.”

OK, just wanted to throw that out there before I craft the blessings because I believe there are many. And they will not simply be the conveniences of not having a kid. More soon.