How old is old enough to know you'll never have kids (because you don't want to)?

Question

Apparently many people "never wanted kids" at one point but then they changed their minds or something. I would say that if one does not want kids by the time they're 35, they're really serious about it.

Answer 1

I always knew I never wanted kids, even when I was a teen.  I have 5 surprise gifts however and my first I had was at age 30.  I've have had my vasectomy since my wife and I had our 5th and last surprise.  Hopefully no more surprises since I have managed to get through birth control 5 times.  If we get pregnant again then it's out of our hands and in a higher power now.

I have to say that now being I have 5 of my own I still don't like kids.  I just like mine and hate everyone else's.  I don't feel I would of regretted never having any if I had a vasectomy a lot sooner then 30 when I had my first.  

Life is funny that way.  People that don't want any and never plan for em end up with a ton.  While we have friends that have paid 10's of thousands of dollars trying to have kids and can't have any.  They want em so bad and we never did. It's one of lifes ironies.

I still hate kids by the way, and I'll raise mine to hate kids to.  Kids are a pain in the ***, a colossal source of irritation, a complete money drain, and a total headache...

...And I wouldn't trade it for the world!

Answer 2

35 was going to be my answer, too.

Answer 3

I feel that it's not about the age of you but your maturity. And if you want to settle down and accept the responsibility of a child.

Answer 4

i'll study for 10 yrs for my career then i'll work for 1 yr then i'll married at 29 and have kid after that, wonderful plan, but gimme a boypren nowwwwwwwwwwwww, 16 is too old for my 1st kiss :((

Answer 5

I think that as soon as you commit to sterialization it's definite you don't want children. Of course, people go back on their commitments all the time like in marriage, but why have an invasive procedure twice? I'm 24 and know I don't want children. I've always known that there are other things I want to do in life and that having a baby would inconvienence that never mind the physical risks and psychological and physical truama involved in pregnancy! I did experience an unplanned pregnancy, but I handled that with what I know to be responsibility (abortion). The experience of being pregnant only furthered my knowledge that I do not want to give birth and that's why I had an abortion!

Raising children is an entirely different thing and that's why there is adoption!

Answer 6

It's hard to know. The things that can happen to you in life can change your mind at any time. You can be really serious about it today, and then something can happen. I guess it all depends on why you don't want kids.

Answer 7

i think around 30... sometimes people don't plan on having kids.. but then they get pregnant on accident and they learn that they want to be a parent.... some people know early in life that they don't want kids.. and others think that they don't want them but then it just happens and they learn to like it. i always knew i wanted babies though!

Answer 8

Most people have their mind made up by 35-40 but i have seen a few people turn 40 and suddenly want to be a mom or dad but yes i would say that usually if you still don't want anything to do with being a mom or dad by 35 it does seem to stay that way atleast for woman.  Men usually don't want children young and most men i talk to don't really decide they want a child until they are 30-35.

Answer 9

Thought provoking.  I think 35 is pretty much a good solid number, I think most women would definitely know by that age.

Answer 10

I don't think you'll ever know that you NEVER want something.

All you can say isthat you don't want kids now.

Who knows the future?

Answer 11

menopause is a good indicator, if you  have not had one by then you very likely will not

Answer 12

well 40 is about the max where you can have kids- at that point it would be difficult to change ones mind

Answer 13

There isn't an answer to that- but really if you have to think this hard about it you are not ready-- kids will take all you have if you want them to be worth anything.  Just dont' be one of those that waits till they are 47 to have kids. That is so selfish- you can't have your cake and eat it too, and then leave your kids when you die before you get to see your grandkids and are too old to do anything but look at them when they are teens.

Answer 14

by then you are sure I would say. you have had lots of time alone to do the things you want to do and are mature enough to know what it would mean to be a parent and what is involved in it, im sure you have freinds or people you know with kids and you just dont connect with it or see it as something you want to do. there is obviously nothing wrong with not having kids, its not some mandatory thing you have to do. its better to say you dont want them and prevent it from happening than bringing children into the world you really didnt want to have. just know it is a comfort to know if you have children you will never be alone, although having them doesnt even guarantee this and is not the right reason to do it anyway.