Welcome to The Childfree Life
Our diverse online community was founded for the purpose of providing a safe place for those who are childfree by choice, childfree by circumstance, or on the fence.
We have a little something for everyone. Join the conversation in our lively Childfree Life Forums where you can vent, share your thoughts, or just enjoy the fun chatter with people who have made the childfree choice. Articles and blogs from our members provide personal experiences about life without children and advice for dealing with a society that is not always accepting of that choice.
Still undecided about having children? You can talk to us about things you'd never feel comfortable talking to your childed friends, family or coworkers about. We get it. We come from all over the globe--and our reasons for being childfree are as multi-faceted as we are. There's room for your unique perspective here too.
TCFL can also provide an alternative to the pain of infertility--discover a new chapter of hope for your life's journey and take a different path from the herd. People do exist who believe that life can be fulfilling even if you are not having kids, and we’ll be glad to show you!
As we embark on our second year, we celebrate the many people who have contributed their ideas and talents into making this community grow and thrive. The Childfree Life is a creative, civil and dynamic group. We welcome new voices and invite you to become a part of our community.
"But you ARE a Mother!"
Written by Feebee Monday, 28 December 2009 23:30
A couple of years ago, when I was coming to terms with the reality that I would not have children, a colleague asked me that dreaded question: “Do you have children?” The colleague concerned is a mother of three children and comes from the Maori culture in which family is paramount. As I sat there in the lunch-room with her, I wondered how best to explain it.
Babies and "The Hills" - Part Trois
Written by Pikasam Tuesday, 22 December 2009 08:17
So last we left Heidi and Spencer they had reached an unhappy stalemate over the kids issue. The next episode starts with Heidi making a visit to her therapist, who welcomes her, and asks what brings her back to therapy.
Heidi says “Well, I want to have kids sooner rather than later, and Spencer now is telling me that he doesn’t want kids.”
Therapist “At all?”
Heidi - “Like, ever. But I think he wants kids. He just doesn’t know he wants kids yet.” (The therapist frowns at this). “If you ask any 25 year old man if he wants kids he’s gonna say no.”
Employer-Based Health Insurance and the Childfree
Written by Nullipara Tuesday, 15 December 2009 08:20
It's hard to imagine, but before the early 1960s it was perfectly acceptable to pay a man more than a woman for the exact same job. In 1963 the Equal Pay Act changed all that. No longer could an employer claim that a man 'needed' to make more than a woman because of his breadwinner status. That this argument was absurd on its face - many working women were supporting families and single men got paid more right along with their breadwinning counterparts - did not matter to those who supported the unequal status quo. After much debate, and kicking and screaming by men who cloaked their self-interest in moral righteousness, the forces of justice prevailed and it was made illegal to discriminate against people in their pay because of their gender. The Secretary of Labor at the time dismissed the silly breadwinner plaint by saying, "Pay is for work done, rather than for the number of dependents of the workers." Well said.
Read more: Employer-Based Health Insurance and the Childfree
Considering Sterilization
Written by lngilbert Tuesday, 08 December 2009 18:24
I’ve never wanted children. My husband does. At least, he thinks he does, but I think he would be more content to remain childless.
I’ve bounced between at least four different birth controls in the last eight years. In that time, I’ve become convinced that hormonal birth control is the cause of the following:
1) PMS. I never had PMS before starting the pill. I never even had cramps. Now I’m a raving lunatic one week a month, with outbursts I literally cannot control. I KNOW I’m acting irrationally, but I cannot stop. It’s the only time I have zero control over my temper.
