Ain’t Nobody Got Time — Or Money — For That: The Benefits Of Not Having Children
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With the ups and downs of the current economy, Americans are becoming more acquainted with the thought of living a child-free lifestyle. According to a recent article in The Daily Beast, having children is becoming more of a preference than an absolute for many single and married men and women who are now giving the option of a childless life and marriage more thought.
For many, the choice of not having kids seems selfish and combats the ideal of a woman’s “obligation” to be fruitful and multiply, but given the cost of raising a child and the rise in women who are becoming more educated and more motivated to become a bigger part of the C-level workforce, a childless lifestyle seems to have more advantages then it does disadvantages for some.
Going against the grain, have you ever thought about the benefits of not having children? Here are a few reasons how this choice might benefit you and your lifestyle. (And on the flip side, check out some benefits of having bambinos right here.)
ShutterstockSave Money
One of the most evident advantages of not having children is the money you save. The cost of raising a child in the first year in this economy, according to a USDA Report in 2010, is about $12,000 for the average middle-class income family. That is only for child-related expenses in the first year. To raise a child until the age of 18 years old, the average family can expect to spend about $300,000 on items like housing, food, transportation, clothing and more, according to The Wall Street Journal’s Real-Time Economics. Looking for a comprehensive view on how much it’ll take to raise a child? Go to USDA’s website, where you can find a calculator to estimate your specific costs of raising a child.
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More Professional Freedom
Not having children gives you more freedom professionally to travel, dedicate your time to your passion, and rise up the ranks at the company. Although having children does not necessarily put professional dreams on halt, it does put family as first priority before work.
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More “Me” Time
Without children, your free time could be spent traveling to a different country with friends, bonding more with your childless man, or discovering a new hobby or eatery. Your free time is not limited to whether the kids are at school, out of the house, or with their father. You have more freedom to use your time to your own needs.
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No “Biological Clock” Concerns
If you have no desire to have children in the future, there’s no need to worry about your “biological clock” winding down. Your biological clock, an informal, internal timing system for your body, keeps you aware of your sleep habits, your menstrual cycle and when your body is available to give birth. Have no worries about having children in your life? You don’t have to be susceptible to your biological clock winding down on your time to bear a child.
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Freedom to Downsize
Not having children gives you the option to downsize your home and lifestyle if necessary. Downsizing the size of your home from a four-bedroom house to a more affordable condo property or townhouse could benefit you financially and spatially, eliminating the chore of moving your entire family into a smaller space. Also, downsizing without children gives you the option to explore other locations without the worries of a school being located in the area, whether it’s family-oriented neighborhood, or any of the other factors that should be taken into consideration with children in the family.
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More Focus on Marriage
Children are a major focal point in a marriage. Not having children, or even waiting to have children until a few years after getting married, gives you and your husband a little bit more freedom to focus on the marriage itself and improving your bond sexually, mentally and emotionally. Not having children also alleviates the potentially harsh impacts of divorce and separation that have become common in today’s society.
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Source: Shutterstock
One Less Responsibility
It’s just that simple. We have a lot to worry about already — work, bills, extended family, our homes, friends. Not having children is essentially having one less thing to worry about period. Sometimes all you want is for one less thing to be on your plate. You can’t get rid of kids that easily — unless you have a nanny on call or a great mom — and even then you don’t want to be constantly pushing your kids off on someone else because you’re overwhelmed by commitments.
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Nothing has to be put on hold
As a teenager or young adult without children, nothing was off limits, from a great education to a job working past the traditional hours of 9 to 5. Without children, the possibility of pursuing a higher education degree, a masters degree or moving for a job are available without the guilt of moving your children around or putting your advancement on hold for the welfare of your children.
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More Spontaneity
One of the advantages of not having children is being able to be spontaneous with your time (and your money)! As a childless adult, you have more freedom to travel at a moment’s notice, stay later at work or go out with friends after work without having to worry about the kids at home or at school. You could live your life solely on your terms and by your time!
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No Lifestyle Changes
Maybe you like your life right now and can’t imagine living any different. Guess what? Without the introduction of children you may not have to. Kids require you to start caring for another being more than your own self, to put all their needs first, and to essentially stay in a constant state of worry. Just the thought of that may frighten you, but without children, life as you know it doesn’t have to completely turn upside down.
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