Adults who dislike children.

I'm not making any judgments myself, mind you, but adults who dislike children are often perceived to be self-centered, impatient, too serious, and frigid/not very warm. From your own personal observation, have you noticed this to be true in general?

How do you feel about kids (skip the baby stage, I'm talking three and up) in general, do you like being around them?

If people hate kids in general, I've noticed this to be true. As for me, whether I mind being around kids or not depends on how they are being raised.

Chris wrote:I'm not making any judgments myself, mind you, but adults who dislike children are often perceived to be self-centered, impatient, too serious, and frigid/not very warm. From your own personal observation, have you noticed this to be true in general?

Not really. And I don't like that generalization. One of my best friends doesn't want to have children ever and he's 36. He doesn't like them. And he's one of the sweetest people in the world.

How do you feel about kids (skip the baby stage, I'm talking three and up) in general, do you like being around them?

For the most part, it would all depend on the kid. Like most people, I can't stand being around bad ass kids but I think by the time they are out of that toddler stage, they are more easier to handle and mold.

That depends on the kids. If they go home eventually, then I usually like them, if they're over here every day and won't go away and barge over EVERY time they see you're out...it's difficult to stay pleasant with them.

For the most part, I love kids, but as others have said, it really depends on the kids. Some of the kids I work with are such spoilt brats that it's hard to like them - overindulged, arrogant and full of attitude, thinking the world owes them. Those are not pleasant kids to be around.

I love babies and toddlers, except for the spoilt brat toddlers who throw tantrums at every turn. If kids are raised to be respectful and honest, I really enjoy them. Thankfully most of my friends have great kids, but some of them I work with... well - I'm just glad they're not mind, though my Mom reminds me that they wouldn't be mine, because I'd never let it get to that state.

I don't mind babies, toddlers and decently behaved teens. But I admit that I often don't much care for "elementary school" aged kids between about 6 to 11. That's just a really weird period where you can't pick them up and play with them like babies, but you can't much do the "REAL TALK" thing either.

I like kids a lot.

As for those who don't like kids, I think a big part of it is that they are just intimidated by them.

From what I've seen, the adults who dislike children just don't that much relate to that childhood quality that they have. Most of them seem to come from a home where they were either an only child or were the youngest in their family. A friend of mine is like that. She doesn't like kids and herself is the product of older parents, her brothers and sisters were all grown (or almost grown) when she was born and so she didn't grow up being around a bunch of kids in her immediate home life.

I'm the youngest in my family and I can relate plenty to kids.

Yea - i think a lot depends on whether or not you were raised around kids. I had a little brother and lots of cousins on both sides. I also babysat from a young age. I have one friend who hates kids - doesn't mind babies but from about age 2-16, she can't stand kids and doesn't want anything to do with them.

I'm alright with kids so long as they are the quieter side of hyper because all kids are hyper so thats a given. Tell you what I DON'T like and thats a GROUP of them lil mutha fuckas. 1 or 2 is ok. 3 and more is nope.

I don't like children. Yes I have two of my own, but dealing with your own is the polar opposite of dealing with the one's you can't slap if they decide to not shut up when you tell them to. There have been times when I dreaded the thought of my twins birthdays, because of the party.

As is the case with most people, I like babies....but after the age of two, they begin to lose their cuteness and they don't get it back until they turn....hmmm, I don't know....

In my opinion, children are perfectly fine until they open their mouths. There are days I've wanted to walk around with a big roll of duct tape, believe you me.

If that makes me self-centered, cold-hearted, impatient and too serious, I don't give a fuck. I just can't stand the sound of their little voices.

I know when it comes to my own kids, I want a big family and I want to adopt internationally. Uganda is really on my heart, but it's not open to adoption yet.

This thread describes me. I am not that much of a lover of children. They require an inordinate amount of energy, selflessness, and awareness; I just do not have the patience for them. I am the type of person who needs an explanation when someone decides to do something completely ridiculous. A young child may not have one, and that would irk me. They also ask a lot of questions. A six year old will ask you "why" all day long.

Marc wrote:As is the case with most people, I like babies....but after the age of two, they begin to lose their cuteness and they don't get it back until they turn....hmmm, I don't know....

I'm the opposite...I have never been fond of babies, I don't particularly like babies, I guess that goes back to when I was a kid, I didn't like babies because they were too little to do anything with. Once they were walking and talking and for the most part housebroken, then I liked them because we connected then, we could do stuff then.

I'm not a huge fan of infants, you can't really do much with them....but I'm cool with crawling, bottle holding, pre-walkers. You can play with them.

It's not that I "dislike" children, it's that I'm not at all interested in them. Seriously I don't want any. My family (especially my mama) gives me grief about it and thinks that I'm just being selfish. Maybe I am but I don't care. Kids cost hundreds of thousands from birth to age 18...and many continue being their parents burden well into legal age. Finances aside, I'm not the nuturing or patient type. I'm not interested in school plays and scout meetings. I like coming home to quiet and not having anyone here unless it's convienant for me. If that makes me selfish and cold, so be it.

OK, I wouldn't be surprised to get some heat form this but know that I really dont mean to offend anyone but rather this is in defense of myself.

Ill be 33 in a couple of months and just so sick and tired of people thinking something is wrong with me because I have no kids. At this point in my life, I do not WANT kids and Ive had some time to develop my reasons why. And although logical reasons, people still get offended and think Im cold. or cant get women or some stupid irrelevant shit that doesn't even make sense or is true.

I just came to a realization that it is selfish to have kids. We have them for our own happiness or to fill some lonely void.Really, what else could it be the kid has no choice, correct?You run the risk of passing your family's genetic diseases to this person (if any).And of course you may give the gift of life but at the same time, you give the curse of death. Think about that and let it marinate for a minute.Why would I want to burden an innocent child with that.

I would like to say that I have been in love before, and know the feeling of loving a woman so much that I wanted to have kids with her. Im not the type of guy who just falls in love with any girl I've gone out with and have always been very responsible and have always used protecting while having sex which a lot of people do not and just popping out babies and then expect respect just because they are a parent.

Society is so ridiculous. Ill never forget when I had to go pick up my cousin and her newborn from the hospital the day she was released because the dad was out drinking the night before and wasnt at the hospital.He's a dead beat period yet society will look at this man as he's holding his child (when he's around) and give him all the respect in the world while they ridicule me because I have no kids. Im the one who uses common sense, who is responsible and know's how to love. It's Pathetic.

I love kids and adore my nephews and nieces. I must not be that bad of a person to have that honor. I still stand by my beliefs and don't respect people getting knocked up and having babies irresponsibly. I just don't and it seems to be the majority.

Marc wrote:I don't like children. Yes I have two of my own, but dealing with yourown is the polar opposite of dealing with the one's you can't slap ifthey decide to not shut up when you tell them to. There have been timeswhen I dreaded the thought of my twins birthdays, because of the party.

As is the case with most people, I like babies....butafter the age of two, they begin to lose their cuteness and they don'tget it back until they turn....hmmm, I don't know....

I think Marc brings up an important distinction. I like kids well enough to have one of my own and as for being around other people's, I don't mind as long as they're not brats. I can relate to them well enough and don't necessarily think children should be seen and not heard. But if they are brats and I have no choice but to be around them...let's just say I won't suffer fools gladly.

Chris wrote:I'm not making any judgments myself, mind you, but adults who dislike children are often perceived to be self-centered, impatient, too serious, and frigid/not very warm. From your own personal observation, have you noticed this to be true in general?

How do you feel about kids (skip the baby stage, I'm talking three and up) in general, do you like being around them?

I realized I only answered part of Chris' question. As far as adults who don't like kids at all being "self-centered, impatient, too serious, and frigid/not very warm", I suppose some of them can be like that but I've known some where that was far from true. Haven't been around enough who felt that way so it's hard for me to generalize.

In general, I don't like being around children. This is less that I dislike children in general as much as I dislike most of the children I meet these days.
Most of this is that I value empathy, consideration, and courtesy very much. Even as a very young child I always considered others before I acted. I can't really comprehend that so many children seem so oblivious to the idea that there may be someone other than themselves that matters.
I have met a very few children that I genuinely enjoy, but usually they seem to me to be little adults.

As far as the perception of people who don't like children, it may be true, may not.
I would say that I'm self centered in so far as I treat others with courtesy and consideration and I expect the same in return. I don't make exceptions for age.
I've never been caused of being frigid, however. I'm more often described as exceptionally warm and pleasant.

JB wrote:From what I've seen, the adults who dislike children just don't that much relate to that childhood quality that they have. Most of them seem to come from a home where they were either an only child or were the youngest in their family.

That's a really interesting perspective, one I hadn't thought of before, but I can totally see that in some cases.
I think it can be the opposite, as well, depending on what that child like quality consists of.
For instance, I'm the oldest of seven kids, so I spent a lot of time with kids, and I've seen how different their personalities can be.
I very much value the sense of wonder and excitement that many kids have, I share that sense, even in my thirties.
I see so many kids though that are so self absorbed as to not even recognize the need to consider others, constantly draining energy, and needing constant attention. I can't stand being around such children, mainly because I was never like that as a kid, nor were most of my siblings.
Hmmm...you got me thinking...