My husband and I had a very firm agreement when we got married. We both agreed to never have children. To be totally honest, we realize having children is a huge sacrifice, and we don't want to make it. We want our life to be about our marriage, travel, having fun - not about the stress of having children.

I have no doubt that some female employers might secretly discriminate against me for this choice. But it's still not going to pressure me into a life that I don't desire to have.

My husband and I are child-free by choice, too.

Truthfully, I've never been taken to be a cold person. In fact, it's the opposite. The word most used for me is "nice." Also, I'm quick to laugh, and usually, have others laughing with me.

Now, I may be seen as "odd" for not wanting to have children, but never "cold."

Maybe you've felt it too, GlowingMoon - but I've definitely felt awkwardness at times with couples my age who choose to have children. Your lives are in such different places. Your motivations and goals are entirely different. It has seemed to me, on occasion, that they are making a sacrifice and feel that you should be as well.

I think it has a lot to do with me being adopted. All adoptees I've ever met are ambivalent about having children.

Bri

"It has seemed to me, on occasion, that they are making a sacrifice and feel that you should be as well."

Yes, I know what you mean.

There is a stigma attached to the decision of not having children. It is, what it is.

However, I think I'm making the right decision in being child-free by choice. I stand by my choice (stigma notwithstanding). I'm only speaking for myself (and not for my husband, as he has his own personal reasons). I am content and happy with my life.

I gotta run. I'm going to be away from my computer.

Ugh. That is such a personal choice; how can anyone justify judging people like that? Especially in a work situation. There are plenty of reasons healthy women would choose not to have children. That "questioning their humanity" quote is unbelievable. One of my female professors never had children, yet is a very nice and very giving person.

This is so very distressing to hear. Whose business is it anyway other than the woman or woman and her mate. Children should not be gotten lightly. They are a huge responsibility and very, very expensive. In todays world, I would think twice.

Oh Tres don't act so surprised. Apparently all women are good for marriage, having babies, pleasing their husbands, cooking, and cleaning. And there is no such thing as a woman to willingly go childless she must have had premarital sex and had tons of abortions and therefore is infertile. That's why bosses don't trust them.

That article is so stupid. What you do in your personal life is none one's business, not your bosses and not your co-workers. Personally there are great childless women, just as there are great women whom are moms.

I don't want kids. I love my freedom above all things. I don't believe in sacrifices. I just don't. Also people should have the right to live their life however they want to.

This is why I don't like feminism, women criticize each other instead of supporting each other for their own respective choices. So much for the sisterhood.

Kids are expensive and our world is very dangerous and overpopulated. Plus women shouldn't be criticised just because they lack the desire to have kids at all. I'm glad my parents had me, but I have no desire to have kids and my parents and I have a great relationship! My parents understand me and they don't force it. They are awesome.

This bias on childless women and childless couples is so unfair. Not everyone should have kids either. Some people have mental and physical problems they don't want to pass on to their kids. This isn't the middle ages.

Not everyone has to follow the same life script.

Wow. That's just beyond insulting. I just don't know what to say. How does not wanting children have anything to do with how well you can do your job...oh that's right...it doesn't. If anything I would think it would make you do your job better b/c you don't have so much more on your plate to handle.

I'm not anywhere near being married, but when I am, I plan on not having children...ever.
"she simply cannot understand why a healthy woman would choose not to have kids"
-So I can enjoy my own life and enjoy life with my future husband.
-The world's already overpopulated with humans and getting worse, why add to it.
-It's actually less selfish to not have children. Give me one unselfish reason someone has kids...

Grr....people need to just quit judging.

If anything, being child-free makes you more reliable when it comes to the job. No maternity leave, less days out, etc.

This is incredibly sexist—but men without children do face discrimination as well. The employee that gets hired the most is often a man with kids, employers feel that if a man has kids he has a family to support, and may hire him over single men and women.

Women, of course, still fair worse. It seems that no matter what we do, we still are discriminated in the work force :/ If you don't want children, well then something must be WRONG with you, right? (ugh) but if you do have children and a career, why aren't you at home with your family? (ugh 2)

Reminds me of the election. Even though I didn't support Palin, I was angry that people were asking her if she could be a vice president and a mother. How sexist! Nobody asked Obama if he could be a President and a father. It's not like Palin was raising those kids alone after all, she DID have her husband around.

I'm not surprised. Women seem to always be under more scrutiny than men, whether it is for how our bodies or faces look or for our choice to have or not have children or for whether we chose to work or stay home if we do have kids. It wasn't that long ago that this very site was debating the beauty or lack thereof of Michelle Obama. I'd be shocked to see a similar debate about a man. Women judge each other all the time, so why should we be surprised when the rest of the world follows that trend?

"Even though I didn't support Palin, I was angry that people were asking her if she could be a vice president and a mother."

I am really with you there, Sonlaikle. I think Palin's views are a horror show - but that was just incredibly out of bounds. There's so much sexism ingrained into our culture.

That article is ridiculous and another reason why people shouldn't read the Daily Mail - because it's full of sh*t.

"It's not the mothers, usually, who run the office b*tch-fest. "

In that case this woman could not have possibly spawned any offspring. Can I slap her?

A lot of working mothers deserve this praise, but I think judgment should be based on individual character, not whether the woman has children or not, or her relationship status (since this woman seems to assume that all childless women are single. I mean, if these women weren't so busy b*tching, flirting, and boozing it up, maybe they'd be able to find a man to start a family with. Because we all know that all women who have children become responsible, mature, stable adults, and exceptional employees ).

That was a horrible article. DEFINITELY someone should slap that woman. I'm pretty sure it's me at the office until all hours at night making copies, completing invoices and making my ridiculous boss espresso, and not the women in the office with children. As far as I've seen, b*tchiness is not only a child-less woman's disease.

Utter bullsh*t. I wrote the following comment in that same article but it's pending review:

So, I'm slightly insane for being childless and not wanting children. Wow, lady. I'm 27 and married. I don't attend any of those so-called "razzes" and come hungover to work the next day because I simply do not party or drink. I enjoy being surrounded by sober adults and having intellectual conversations. I don't compete for attention in the office because I remain faithful to my husband. Furthermore, I've been described as too "nice" by co-workers and some may even say I have doormat'esque tendencies because I am that selfless and willing to please. I have enough personal accountability to want to do a good job without having extra mouth to feeds.

You don't need to be a mother to acquire human traits of selflessness, compassion, generosity, etc. You need a good family to teach you these virtues right from the start, something your children won't learn if all you do is work and plug your children into day care all the time.

Here's my problem with this attitude - if I choose not to have children, I'm not taking maternity leave, I'll never have to stay home because my kid is sick, I can work longer hours, etc. So what's with the stigma? I'm so sick of hearing "you'll change your mind" when I say that I don't want children, and the idea that I'm somehow "cold and odd" is really offensive.

My biggest issue with her article is that she appears to be comparing mothers to young crazy females. Yes, a 33-year old mother may be a more responsible employee than a 22-year old party girl. But guess what? single girls also mature. I'm not out on a Thursday night boozing it up, because I get tired and want to go home to bed. And just because I don't have kids to get up for at 5am, doesn't mean I'm not up at 5am to go to yoga class. The issue is maturity and every employer wants a mature and capable employee. Sure, kids may get you there, but you can also become a responsible adult without kids.

"That article is ridiculous and another reason why people shouldn't read the Daily Mail - because it's full of sh*t. "

Exactly. The Daily Mail is pretty much a UK tabloid. Don't take it very seriously.

I find it interesting that a lot of comments here are about women having the right to choose, but the same comments go on to say that women without children are actually more responsible. I guess the right to choose is only important if the choice is what you think is the right one!

Women with children are constantly discriminated against in the workplace; they have been for quite some time now.

And Muirnea, one unselfish reason to have a child is that your birth control failed and your religious beliefs prevent you from having an abortion.