How do I counter criticism and denial for my being childfree?

I've been childfree ever since I could remember, and though I've thought about what my life would be like if I DID have children, it never appealed to me, nor did I ever come close to changing my mind.





Yet I keep hearing the same CRAP from the same stupid people. Crap like ';Oh, you'll change your mind!'; and ';ALL WOMEN WANT CHILDREN!!!!!1!';





How do I get them to stop?





Additionally, a lot of people have confused my wanting to be childfree with not wanting to get married or being a hard-*** career woman. Not true- I really DO want to get married (to a childfree man) and am looking to pursue a pretty modest career. Is this some sort of stereotype I'm unfamiliar with?How do I counter criticism and denial for my being childfree?
I'm sorry you're going through this. Some people are just rude and ignorant and think that everyone HAS to think like they do.





Hopefully those that are close to you understand your feelings and respect them. If the people bothering you are strangers or people who otherwise don't know you very well, then who cares what they think?





Some people you just won't be able to stop. When they say, ';Oh, you'll change your mind,'; just politely say, ';Sure, maybe'; and change the subject.





For the really rude ones... next time someone asks you why you don't want children, look at them wide-eyed, then burst into tears and tell them that when you were 14 a Dr. told you that you had fertility issues and would never be able to have kids. That ought to shut them up :) But then, I'm a bit of a smart aleck sometimes!How do I counter criticism and denial for my being childfree?
You're also supposed to diet constantly and when you get married put your career on the backburner and put your husband's career first.





It's just one of those things you have to say, ';Screw you'; to and walk away. There are a lot of men and women working diligently to dispel these myths. It's a slow battle.
I'm sorry you're dealing with these people. I'm childfree and I faced the same kind of harassment from these breeders.





Just don't say anything to the breeders and you won't have a problem.





I personally find childfree women attractive. I love them. I would love to marry a childfree woman.
They do it to men as well. Most of the time they call us “gay”, “communist”, or “impotent”. I get so irritated with the titles. I have found that HR will not help.





I just think of something “witty” to say back. Usually I say something that they have to think about in order to understand. That makes them angry because they have to take the time to think about it.
girl, don't worry about what people say, It is none of their dam bussiness! You can't get them to stop, so next time just don't talk about it or change the subject. and if they continue just tell them you don't want to have children and that they are offending you.
It's such a thing all women endure these people... simply don't respond you are better than this judgmental person. So you don't want kids there is nothing wrong with that- the people that are pushing that stuff are just thoughtless and they don't really deserve a response. I would just look at them strangely and laugh then walk away.
Just be up front and honest by telling them yes u want to marry %26amp; have a career but it does not include children. Its none of their business why u don't want kids %26amp; u shouldn't have to defend your decision not to have any
Not all woman want to be mothers and some mothers should never have had children point that out to them.


You know your own mind
I sympathize with you.





It's even worse when you are married. Hubby and I have been married for almost 16 years and his family is finally starting to understand that we are never having children.





I too have heard the same presumptuous, condescending lines from family and friends. Unfortunately, you can't stop them from being obnoxious. We live in a pronatalist society that assumes every woman wants children. Some people don't even think of having children as optional...they think it's something they're ';supposed'; to do! Absurd, isn't it?





The best response to smile and ignore their presumptions. If you really feel the need to respond, politely tell them that parenting is a life long, irreversible responsibility of which you have no interest.