Dear Julie: I Don't Think I Want to Have Kids. Should I?

Dear Julie,

I’m in my mid-twenties. I’m in an Engineering PhD program in the Chicago area. And I have a longtime partner. Life is good. People keep asking me if I think I’m going to have kids. I don’t think I want to. Can you make the case for why I should?

Sincerely,

Child Free Might Be Fine With Me

Dear Child Free Might Be Fine With Me,

First off, what matters most in this equation is you. This is a deeply personal decision. Meaning, don’t have kids because someone else expects it – your partner, your parents – or out of some sort of societal obligation. Kids are a lot. If you go there, you want to be doing it on your own volition not out of a sense of duty. Some people will criticize me for putting it like that, but hey, it’s my truth 🤷🏽‍♀️

Off the top of my head, I can think of a lot of pros and a lot of cons. Let’s start with some cons, since that’s the vantage point you’re coming from: