Childfree by choice #5

[hereforthedrama1]

Hello again to my fave thread, how I have missed you all. I think there should be more adult-only spaces, or at least adult-only hours at places. I never really had a childhood so I like to do things like go to the zoo with my boyfriend. Issue is, he's a teacher so we always have to go at the weekend or school holidays where every single fecking time a little snotted up rocket comes pelting at me full blast. Please control your child! Why am I supposed to smile and laugh it off?! Get your child away from me!

Being around kids just makes me so uncomfortable and nervous, you never know what they're going to do. I was crossing the road the other day when it was safe to do so, didn't wait for the 'green man' because who has time for that and this woman basically screamed across the road 'people should wait for the green man and teach kids how to do it properly'. Erm, excuse me??? Teach the kid yourself! Be a parent, like idk how many times that has to be explained that your child is not the responsibility of some random stranger (unless they are a care provider)

 

[rosemarina]

I’ve had the green man thing too! I get it that it must be mind numbing trying to train children to do literally anything, but how bleeping dare they tell off a grown adult? I bet they don’t shriek at men who cross whenever they please.

 

[Rippedjeanmaybe]

I’d love someone to shout at me for how I cross a road, they’d regret it believe me.

 

[penny1992]

I’ve had the green man thing too! I get it that it must be mind numbing trying to train children to do literally anything, but how bleeping dare they tell off a grown adult? I bet they don’t shriek at men who cross whenever they please.

I'd tell them to mind their own bleeping business!!! Then they'd be crying not to swear in front of their precious little child

 

[Shinealight]

I bet they don’t want to live like in the 50s/70s though. No iPhones, no nails ‘done’, 5 items of makeup, hair not done at a salon, less clothes and shoes, nights out/meals out/takeaways/a quick McDonald’s - nope, brand new kitchen, big car, new build house, £300 per child on Christmas presents - nope. Holidays, replacing rather than repairing, Xbox, tv, sky, hello fresh, Netflix…and on and on - lots of things have changed since the 50s!

People can afford to stay home and look after their child like ‘in the 50s’ they just don’t like the lifestyle that gives them.

And no internet on which to post cringeworthy videos of their little darlings “singing” or saying something indistinguishable and force others to watch when in their company!
Actually I’m rather warming to the idea of life in the 50s now

 

[ElectricDreams]

I’ve had the green man thing too! I get it that it must be mind numbing trying to train children to do literally anything, but how bleeping dare they tell off a grown adult? I bet they don’t shriek at men who cross whenever they please.

When I was a childminder it was a massive bugbear of mine when I was walking the kids to school and we'd be waiting to cross a side road and the traffic would slow down and wave us across. I know they were only trying to be helpful, but it was a nightmare trying to reach the children to look both ways and wait until there was no traffic! But I never said anything, I'd just grit my teeth and thank them. Never ever happened when I was walking on my own!

 

[mcfeez]

I don't think 100 is that stingey depending on how old the kids are. If the kids are all under 8 then you can easily make a big pile of just 1 present and lots of little presents from places like b&m, especially if they were clever about when they bought the toys. If the kids are teens then I'd like to know what they bought because 100 doesn't go far nowadays.

There's a vlogger family who got flack for not buying their kids birthday presents because they do something with the child instead. Their argument is that they've got 5 kids and the kids get toys from family and friends which means the house gets filled with toys really quickly. I thought it was quite sensible tbh lol.

She's very open about money and talked about how they have a 2nd hand PS4 that a neighbour kindly gifted them when people asked about consoles. She also said that for things like mobile phones her children are aware that they should have to save and contribute because things are expensive. She rightfully pointed out too that it is OK for children to not get absolutely everything they ask for, that's not how the world works and she doesn't want them to grow up materialistic.

There are lots of parents who could definitely do with spending more quality time with their children rather than just buying them a lot of stuff.

 

[judgejohndeed]

I was reading a thread here the other day about how much people are spending on their kids for Christmas and Betty Crockerr was telling someone they were spending too much it’s true though someone was saying £800 EACH on a 2 year old and 6 year old. More money than sense! If I had kids I would not be spending a grand on presents they’ll be bored of by next year, no child needs that much stuff.

Anyway I actually came to post this as I thought everyone would appreciate it…

 

[GirlOnTheTrain]

I was reading a thread here the other day about how much people are spending on their kids for Christmas and Betty Crockerr was telling someone they were spending too much it’s true though someone was saying £800 EACH on a 2 year old and 6 year old. More money than sense! If I had kids I would not be spending a grand on presents they’ll be bored of by next year, no child needs that much stuff.

Anyway I actually came to post this as I thought everyone would appreciate it…
View attachment 1776046

Call me old-fashioned but wouldn’t it be better to put that £800 in a savings account for their future, rather than a load of stuff that, as you say, will be forgotten about within months…

 

[Caffeine Fiend]

Call me old-fashioned but wouldn’t it be better to put that £800 in a savings account for their future, rather than a load of stuff that, as you say, will be forgotten about within months…

Particularly for a younger child. £800 of stuff for a 3 year old must be mountains of presents. £800 for a teenager could be 3 or 4 things in reality.

£800 in savings would absolutely be better because things arent getting any easier for anyone

 

[Norfolking Good]

I never understand people throwing a lavish bash for a child turning 1. It seems to be all about the parents and not the child as they have no concept of what’s going on and a little cake and a few family is all you need.

 

[Rippedjeanmaybe]

I have a November birthday so I used to get like £50 spent on me when I was younger. £50 birthday & £50 Christmas.

as I got to like 12+ I used to just get one or two things for Christmas, like a jacket or an outfit etc.

I think a lot of my friends had about £500 spent on them… laptops, phones, trainers etc

I saw someone on another site has bought their 19 year old a MacBook and then they are getting £500 on top. Total madness.

 

[Falkor]

'Amelia, darling' is on the opposite side of the pool to us today. They also have a small boy with them who, if I had to guess, is about a year old - not walking yet. She's just changed his obviously crappy nappy on the sun lounger, to the absolute horror of the man on the sun lounger two metres to her left, who was partway through his lunch and now seems to have lost his appetite...

Adults only place next year I think, much as we adore this hotel!

 

[Rippedjeanmaybe]

'Amelia, darling' is on the opposite side of the pool to us today. They also have a small boy with them who, if I had to guess, is about a year old - not walking yet. She's just changed his obviously crappy nappy on the sun lounger, to the absolute horror of the man on the sun lounger two metres to her left, who was partway through his lunch and now seems to have lost his appetite...

Adults only place next year I think, much as we adore this hotel!

Yeah this is why I refuse to do hotels that aren’t adults only! I can’t be dealing with little darlings screaming and shouting

 

[La_frenchie]

I never understand people throwing a lavish bash for a child turning 1. It seems to be all about the parents and not the child as they have no concept of what’s going on and a little cake and a few family is all you need.

It makes no sense at all. My friend did a 1st birthday party for his daughter, hired a venue, invited loads of families and friends. It just felt odd to attend? We didn't stay long. All I could think was what a waste of money and time.

 

[Millais]

I’ve just read a ‘things they don’t tell you about having kids’ article that including the phrase ‘it took several months of physical therapy to be able to sit in a chair again’. Ma’am, with all due respect, why did you choose to do this?!

 

[Norfolking Good]

I went to my work Xmas do last night and I was on a table of women who all had given birth and was the only one without kids. All I can say is holy crap, these stories got graphic and apparently peeing yourself when doing anything strenuous is normal??? I would like to think they just didn’t do their pelvic floor exercises but surely this is not normal? I got drunk and took my working bladder home to my quiet home.

 

[witchofwestbyfleet]

I think another reason I would struggle with kids is the expectation you constantly chatter to a young child. I understand it’s supposed to help their speech develop but I don’t want to have to keep up conversation all the time, even if said conversation is about Peppa Pig or “Mummy, poo!”

 

[Chandler Bing]

I think another reason I would struggle with kids is the expectation you constantly chatter to a young child. I understand it’s supposed to help their speech develop but I don’t want to have to keep up conversation all the time, even if said conversation is about Peppa Pig or “Mummy, poo!”

Same. I'm deeply introverted, and just having to speak to people in work all day long exhausts me to the point where i just have to sit in silence for at least 30mins when I get home. I can't imagine then being forced to having another 6 hours worth of inane chit chat with a child.

 

[Rippedjeanmaybe]

I think another reason I would struggle with kids is the expectation you constantly chatter to a young child. I understand it’s supposed to help their speech develop but I don’t want to have to keep up conversation all the time, even if said conversation is about Peppa Pig or “Mummy, poo!”

Same. Talking exhausts me. I have a job in an office that requires me to speak to no one except my colleagues and I love it. Chatting to kids drains me!