Before my husband and I even started dating 10 years ago, I knew that he didn't want children. He comes from a wonderfully close family himself, but has always said that he loves his life the way it is and isn't prepared to make the sacrifices required to be a parent. I went on to date him, get engaged to him, and marry him knowing that he firmly doesn't want children. I wasn't sure whether I wanted children, but I was sure that I wanted a life with my husband by my side - it just seemed like a no-brainer.
I'm 35 now and so relieved that we haven't had kids. I started therapy a few years ago because I'm struggling to get over how abusive my own childhood was. I can't imagine being a parent while being so cut up over my own parents.
I would like to think that if my husband and I had decided to have a baby, he would have been very hands-on and we would have split childcare equally. However, this has not been the case for any of our friends or family. Couples we we thought got on swimmingly have really seemed to struggle after having a baby - primarily because a large part of the childcare seems to fall to the women. I've been surprised by how many of our male friends seem to have travelled back to the 1950s since their children were born. I don't think my marriage could survive my husband retreating to the shed every time a baby cries or needs changing.
The coronavirus pandemic has made me further appreciate the life that we have - we have few responsibilities, lots of hobbies, and the luxury of total silence.