What makes childfree people sometimes regret their decision?

You will not get many good answers because most of the people reading your question do not know what “child-free” means. They think it means “childless”.





Anyway, I am 42, and child-free. I spend a lot of time with the child-free crowd at my place of employment. Most of us are over 50. I also was once a member of No Kidding (a child-free club). I have been to child-fee conventions. I have never met anyone that had any regrets. If they exist, surely I would have encountered them by now.





I live near a community where most people are over 60, and retired. Many of them are child-fee, as most people that raised children could never afford to live in such a community. Not one has every made mention of regrets.





BTW: I went to my 20 years high school reunion. A surprisingly large number of people are child-free. No mention was ever made of regrets.





Regrets are most certainly not some inevitable thing. If there is anyone that had regrets, I think they might have given in due to society pressure. Their churches, jobs, and families are full of people that will pressure them to have children. They may think they would be better off by having a child rather than to be looked down on by society.What makes childfree people sometimes regret their decision?
The childfree do not (IMO) regret their decision, however some childless may do. Being childfree is a conscious choice, a lifestyle choice. My husband and I decided we never wanted children, we both know we will never regret it. No mortgage at 40, 3 holidays a year and a great social life why would we regret it.





Edit - As for the person who said we will be lonely when our spouse dies, children do not guarantee a happy old age. Go into any old peoples home and see how many never see their children. Also people have children because babies are cute, however they grow into teenagers and they are hell!!What makes childfree people sometimes regret their decision?
What makes them regret their decision is overthinking the decision. One can think, Oh should I, Or Could I, etc........it's totally wasted energy. Unfortunately I aborted a child many yrs ago. I was afraid I couldn't raise it alone. I wish to death I had that child, but I don't. So, what should we do? Invest our time in other children.


If you think you miss children, then by all means spend time with other children---- whether your nieces %26amp; nephews or with volunteer children. All children need love. It will never go wasted!
Its not that hard really





Desire, or the lack of it, doesn't stay the same for a life time.





A 30 year old couple says they doesn't want any child, fine. But do you think the will not have the desire say, 20 or 30 years down the road. I wouldn't bet my socks on that.





Its very normal that some day, they start to desire of having a child, but by then, they are a tad too old to have a child. People heart and mind changes.





If a person tells you they don't want a child, thats just for now. Dont even for a moment think that they will stay that way until they die =)





Eventually, they may change their mind
I think having to find people to help you when you get old is the biggest problem. You have to rely on nieces and nephews if you are lucky enough to have them, but they have their own parents to care for and they're not always available.





It can be an especially lonely existence when your spouse dies. You have no one who remembers him/her in a way similar to what you did.
Because people always want what they cannot have. It's human nature. If they had gone and had children five years earlier, they probably would have ended up miserable anyway, because at the time, they didn't want them.





I don't believe in people who say ';Have children young or you will regret it';. I honestly think I would regret it if I had them now. I would be tied down and my life would be ';over';.
well all couples are different in the beginning they may not want to be responsable to financially, emotionally, and physically be responsable for another human being





however as years begin to pass a relationships needs some new excitement in their life, and a child brings pleasure and happiness to any parents..





a child also bring new energy and can take off some stress between a relationship
Many childfree people, including me, don't regret this decision. And those who do, they weren't childfree to begin with. I don't see why having these little brats are so important to most people.





I think the world should have more childfrees and less breeders.
Truly childfree people don't regret their decision, because truly childfree people don't want children ever, period, and don't change their minds.


I'm approaching 50 and have not one second of regret.
I have a son and I have loved every minute of being a mother. However, I respect couples who decide not to have any children. There are things I have sacrificed and put on hold to be a mother. It was a choice that has suited me, but it wouldn't everyone.
I'm child free and don't regret it in the least. I think most regret for others may come from ';the grass is greener on the other side,'; kind of thinking.
I know a lot of child free people. I have never met anyone with regrets.
having no kids i guess