Living Child Free

[peacetraveler22]

I don't have children, and probably never will. I've never had the motherly urge, or felt panic as the biological clock moved forward. At my age, the clock is in alarm mode and there's absolutely no sense of desperation or yearning for a child. Even as a young girl, I never dreamed of a wedding, the white picket fence or kids. I was motivated by new experiences, new sights and new senses. Always with my nose in a book, reading about some distant place or culture rather than feeding baby dolls with imaginary bottles. In some ways, I've always been a wanderer, a free spirit who doesn't wish to be tied down. I like the freedom of a child free life, the ability to decide at the last minute to pack my bags and go with no hesitation or worries.

The truth is I love children, and am surrounded by them at all times. Almost every weekend, I'm at my sister's house spending time with my nephew - the little rascal in this photo. A five year old genius who constantly amazes me with his sense of wonder, his curiosity about the world and things around him. I mentioned before that my mom comes from a large family, ten siblings who have produced a lot of offspring. So, I also have a lot of young cousins and I visit them frequently. For me, it's enough at this point in life.

Sometimes my nephew will pack his bag and spend the weekend at my apartment. A sort of adventure to the "big city." We stare at the Washington Monument from my window, watch airplanes land at National Airport from my balcony, read books and play in the pool. By Sunday evening, I'm completely exhausted and crave peace and quiet. I send him home to mommy and return to normal life with great pleasure. Throughout the week, I speak to him and other cousins on the phone numerous times. Constant contact with the little ones.



When I first started this blog, the thing that amazed me most were the messages I would get from men who suggested that I must be "miserable" without children. It's not "natural" for a woman my age to be unmarried and not have a family. The implication was that I'm some type of flawed or selfish human being for choosing this lifestyle. To me, the more selfish route in life are those who get married and have children merely to conform with societal norms or perceptions of what a woman should be. Women who have children because it's expected, and then simply ignore them, pass them off on nannies and, in the end, produce damaged adults.

If you regularly read my blog, it should be clear that I don't subscribe to traditional views of womanhood. In my mind, a woman's place in the world should be what she wants it to be. Just like a man. This is not some crazy feminist statement, and I respect those who choose the path of housewife and motherhood. These women are the champions of the world, carrying so much responsibility on their shoulders. I count my own mom in the category. She had me at 20 years old, and worked the night shift for many years so she could be with my sister and me during the day. To this day, she remains a huge inspiration in my life.

I'm not opposed to children, and perhaps I'll meet a wonderful man in the next few years and feel the urge to have a baby. Those who know me constantly say I would be a great mom. Despite what some of you think, I am in fact a very caring, thoughtful and nurturing woman. I care deeply about children, and represent neglected and abused ones in the family court system free of charge. I've prosecuted "dead beat" dads who failed to pay child support, and found homes for children who were living with drug addicted and abusive parents. Those who harm innocent children - in my mind these people are the worst scum of the earth.

In America, women in my position are not viewed as abnormal. Fewer women are having babies, and those who do are having them at a much older age. An unmarried woman is not seen as some type of damaged goods. In fact, there are many single women who remain youthful and lively in their 40's, 50's and onward. I count myself in this category. Running around with my partner in crime, causing trouble and having fun as often as possible.



It's my perception that this is another big difference between Russian and American cultures, but maybe I'm wrong. How would I be perceived in Russia as a 40 year old, childless woman? For those who have kids, how did it change your life?

In the end, I feel no obligation to procreate or get married for the sake of others. In the words of the great American poet Robert Frost:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry that I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could

Then took the other, just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Comments

[cherez-dorogu.livejournal.com]

)))) It's because of English grammar - no gender. I should probably make avatar with my face - for English comments in LJ.
I'm woman, but some "male" features are really favorable - i.e. love for curvy roads ))