Season 2 Episode 18: Becoming Mom, Episode Three: Choosing to be Child-Free
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Becoming Mom: Exploring the Many Paths to Motherhood - Episode Three: Choosing to be Child-Free
This week Alex and Mary continue the Motherhood series for the month of May, as they discuss the option to make the choice to be childfree. After watching the documentary, “To Kid Or Not To Kid”, written, produced and filmed by Maxine Trump, they explore the biases against men and women who have made a conscious choice to live a life, free of children. The research they share explores the pronatalism mindset that has been prevalent in the United States, in particular, for centuries and it helps dispel some common myths about those who make such a choice.
Episode Highlights
Welcome back! [0:38]
The choice to be childfree [0:56]
Documentary: To kid or not to kid [1:04]
Childfree vs childless [1:35]
Why can’t we talk about not having kids? [2:34]
Millennials [3:27]
Reasons not to have children [4:17]
Children and schedules [4:55]
Seven more reasons not to have children [5:20]
Stigma: Choosing to be childfree is selfish [8:58]
Pronatalism [9:50]
European countries’ ads for procreation [10:23]
U.S. declining birth rate [11:55]
Social pressure to have children [12:38]
Common myths about not having children [12:58]
Added responsibility [14:30]
Passing judgment [15:38]
Self-reflection [18:12]
Golden Girls style of living [20:20]
Cruise ship retirement [21:12]
Respecting others’ choices [21:45]
Taxes [23:40]
Unwanted children [24:50]
A different perspective [25:30]
Not Mom Convention [26:15]
Open, honest communication [28:00]
Childfree doesn’t mean anti-child [29:15]
Difference in healthcare options [30:31]
A personal challenge [36:00]
Next 2 weeks: Adoption and IVF [36:40]
Thanks for listening! [37:21]
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Links Mentioned in the Episode
Child-Free Choice: Why Women Intentionally Opt Out of Parenthood
'I don't think this is for me': 7 reasons why people choose to be childfree
Why Aren't Millennials Having Kids?: 8 Insights Into the Childfree Life
More Women Are Choosing Not to Have Kids and Society Cannot Cope
I Love My Child-Free Life: Why Do Other People Have Such a Problem With It?
Summary Keywords
Podcast, Spotify, Anchor, research, advocacy, advanced imaging, diagnosis, knowledge, women, fear, bias, childfree, childless, myths, sterilization, pronatalism, social pressure, responsibility