Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Confess The Real Reason They Don't Want To Have Kids

Make us preferred on Google

There are people who spend their adolescence and early adulthood dreaming of being a parent.

And those people should have every opportunity to achieve that dream for as long as it remains a life goal.

Then there are people who never feel the pull to be a parent.

But society tends to only ask one group "why."

Repeatedly.

While asking any person that question is rude AF—seriously, don't ask people why they don't have/want children—the anonymous realm of AskReddit is a different environment where people can be honest with few repercussions.


So Redditor Ekudar asked:

"What made you not want to have kids?"

So much work...

"To be honest, I'm too lazy to be a parent."

"Plus I'm terrified of the idea of pregnancy and labor."

- _elisheba_

To Do List Nothing GIFGiphy

Know your limitations...

"When I realised that having a kid would mean that kid would have me as a parent."

- WhyDoIHaveRules

Not ready...

"This lowkey scared tf out of me. Made me imagine myself being responsible for another human being… and all of their life experiences, and providing for all of their needs, and wants?

"Oh my God. No."

"Kids are an amazing treasure, but you have to be mentally, financially, and emotionally sound for them. Because it’s no longer YOUR life. You can’t transfer your bullsh*t onto them—because they’ll end up dealing with that when they’re older."

not ready GIFGiphy

"In an ideal world, I’d love to have a kid. But pregnancy/labor scares me, I’m not mentally ready, not financially prepared, I like my alone time, I do NOT have the patience, I’m far too selfish, I can’t cook, and honestly—I love my cat more."

"In my head it seems nice. But that’s not reality. And that’s not fair to a human life. The maternal instinct is there, but my own selfish wants/needs right now outweigh any want for a kid."

- Abandoned_Asylum

Never my dream...

"I never decided to not have kids. Kind of assumes I wanted some then something changed my mind."

"I don't want kids because I never have wanted kids. I've never felt any longing or fondness for babies. No part of having children ever appealed to me."

"I don't feel the need to force myself to have kids despite all the pressure from family and friends, so I made sure I never had any."

- LakotaGrl

nope octopus GIFGiphy

$$$...

"I'm broke and I hate noise."

- quantum_ice

Sssshhhh...

"The sheer fact that I enjoy peace and quiet is enough.

"I love my godson and would die to protect him but I don’t want him living with me (godfather responsibilities aside)."

- HellfireKyuubi

sshhh GIF


Giphy

So much to worry about...

"Lack of freedom especially to travel, constantly worrying about someone else/being responsible for them, the state of the world, my own mental health stuff that can be genetic, knowing pregnancy is incredibly dangerous, having 4 friends very recently have their first children and seeing them miserable, the idea of forever being a mom."

"It's all overwhelming.

"Plus I see kids everyday with behavioral and mental health problems. I kinda just don't want to risk that being my kid."

- AmeslJ55

Parentification or...

"Raised my siblings."

"I'm done."

- kelpflowerfish

Duggars GIF


Giphy

...when people who probably shouldn't have had kids do...

"Ugh. Teaching them to read, acting as a lifeguard any time we were around water, trying to patch their wounds or reassure them school isn’t so scary…"

"My brother is dyslexic and my sister has a learning disability. I taught them both to write their names and would always help them with homework before working on my own."

"I don’t recall my parents being anywhere nearby in 95% of my childhood memories."

"I love kids but the stress of raising kids as a kid has deterred me from ever even considering that sort of responsibility again."

- livelaughween

"My mother's mental illness left the lion's share of supervision and housekeeping to me at the expense of my own education (we also had not nearly enough resources for the number of children)."

"The despair of those years turned me off ever being responsible for a child again. I love my siblings with all my heart, but they nearly broke me."

- PixieDrifter

Not my dream, Part 2...

"Honestly, no idea."

"Just never envisioned a future with children."

- MultipleHipFlasks

shrug GIF


Giphy

...and Part 3.

"The idea of having kids never entered my mind, unless other people brought it up.

"I married a woman who had mostly grown kids, so it was just a couple years of taking care of them and that was it."

"I have grandkids now, and every time they visit, I'm grateful I never had kids of my own. My stepkids are exhausted, broke financially, and always on the go."

"I'm more than happy to sit in my chair, watch movies, play video games, and max chill."

- Jeremy_Smith75

Society pressures people to procreate, but if it's not for you, then you do you.

Just say no to unwanted children.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Donald Trump
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

Trump Unveils Photo Of 'Newly Revamped' West Wing Entrance Makeover—And Critics Have Some Thoughts

President Donald Trump was criticized after sharing a picture of the latest update to the entrance of the White House West Wing that made the historic landmark look more like a signature Trump hotel.

The Oval Office has been significantly revamped since Trump took office in January 2025—it features, among other things, a fireplace adorned with gold cherubs and medallions, surrounded by portraits of American statesmen in ornate gold frames and shelves filled with gilded figurines, urns, and freshly installed Rococo mirrors.

Keep ReadingShow less
Nicolle Wallace; Marco Rubio and Donald Trump
MS NOW; Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Nicolle Wallace Offers Hilariously Brutal Suggestion For 'Addled' Trump Amid 'Bizarre' NATO Press Conferences

MAGA Republican President Donald Trump has been participating in the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey, since Tuesday afternoon, but the visit has been anything but successful for the embattled POTUS.

Trump's appearances before the international press on hand for the summit have been rife with gaffes that have the domestic and international communities both amused and concerned over the 80-year-old's continued cognitive decline.

Keep ReadingShow less
Fashionista Rihanna attends the 2026 Met Gala, celebrating "Costume Art" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Taylor Hill/Getty Images

Rihanna Applauded For Powerful Response To Cancer Patient Who Apologized For Looking 'Terrible' Without Wig

Rihanna’s latest viral moment has nothing to do with music, fashion, or beauty launches. Instead, fans say the singer helped someone shine bright “like a diamond” after reassuring a cancer patient who apologized for not wearing a wig during an unexpected meeting.

The nine-time Grammy winner, 38, made a fan’s day during a recent trip to a supermarket, where she posed for a photo and offered words of encouragement after learning the woman was living with cancer and feeling self-conscious about her appearance. The interaction appeared in Jason Lee’s video series, Jason Lee Unlocked: Grocery Shopping with Rihanna, released on Monday, July 6.

Keep ReadingShow less
Catherine Zeta-Jones; Bonnie Tyler
Monica Schipper/Getty Images; Christian Augustin/Getty Images

Catherine Zeta-Jones Pens Touching Tribute To Singer Bonnie Tyler After Death—And Fans Are Emotional

Bonnie Tyler, singer of "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and "Holding Out for a Hero," died on July 8, 2026, just a month after her 78th birthday.

She was in a hospital in Portugal, and she died unexpectedly from the illness she was being treated for.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Rasmus Svaneborg; Mark Rutte
@atrupar/X; Altan Gocher / Hans Lucas / AFP via Getty Images

Reporter Puts NATO Secretary General On The Spot With Brutal 'Self-Respect' Question About Trump

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte found himself on the spot after Danish reporter Rasmus Svaneborg questioned whether sitting silently beside President Donald Trump as he discusses "conquering" Greenland and criticizing allies has impacted his "self-respect."

Rutte, a former Dutch prime minister, has been forced to manage Trump's repeated criticism of NATO while contending with his public insistence that the United States should acquire Greenland from Denmark.

Keep ReadingShow less