Why SHOULD women want kids?

Question

I know a lot who don't. Perhaps it's just coming from a privileged, educated background in a very equal country. I just don't see why women should be more crazy about the idea than men...

Answer 1

Biology.

Answer 2

Many women want a family, but there are also many that don't. The women I've known that don't want kids are usually the ones working on themselves and their career, and I don't see anything wrong with that.

I mean, if they don't have time for them, why have 'em?

Answer 3

There's no reason women SHOULD want kids.  "Maternal instinct" is social, not biological.  Women are pressured socially to have babies, far more than men are.

If a woman wants kids, great.  If not, there's not a thing wrong with her.

Answer 4

i dont want kids for a few reasons:

1) i cant handle babies

2) i hate small kids (maybe its cos i hated every day of being a kid, cos i was picked on and had rocks and mud thrown at me by other kids, so naturally i hate kids)

3) no way i could eat healthy for 9 months, right now im surrounded by coke, biscuits, and pineapple lumps (good thing i have a high metabolism)

4) i find it gross to think theres something inside of me, ripping away at my veins with its syncitium (we learnt this in Biomed at university, biosci 107, its disgusting what the baby does to you)

5) the uterus expands like, 500 times... ow.

6) and lastly, when i was 14, in science at school, we were doing human reproduction as a topic, and it was compulsary to watch a video of a woman giving birth in a bathtub, and im telling you, the camera was  *right* up where all the action was, i mean, we could see everything, blood squirting, the head coming out, and all the umbilical stuff,and the placenta, and it freaked out all the people in the class, and then, at the end of the video, the teacher didnt click on the VCR "stop" then "rewind", oh no, he just clicked "rewind" so we saw the whole thing in reverse, the baby jumped right back into that uterus alright. When the class had finished and everyone was walking out, you could hear all the girls saying "We're *never* gonna have kids"

Answer 5

Why not? Everyone can have an opinion. I think what you're saying is a generalisation aswell. I mean I'm not even 20 but I really wanna have kids one day, whereas all except one of my female friends have never thought about wanting to have kids (the except one person wants 6 kids... eugh).

Answer 6

As far as I can see there is no special reason a woman should be more likely to want to have children than a man.

It's ridiculous that someone should say it's "natural" for a woman to want children just because we can bear them.

Men don't have the risk of pregnancy and childbirth and the strain on their bodies, so why is it not "natural" for them to want children and "unnatural" if they don't?

Answer 7

to procreate and insure the future of humanity

Answer 8

If women don't have kids then the world would end because there would be no more ppl on the earth

Answer 9

I know I'm NEVER having any.It's been said before, but I don't see why women should want kids more than men if they are the ones having to go through all of the c**p with pregnancy and childbirth.

Answer 10

Many people - male and female alike - are less than enamored by children.  People don't need to breed if they don't want to.  In fact, the presence of children decreases marital happiness because it increases stress levels and I very strongly suspect that all other things being equal, couples with children are more likely to divorce that those without.

Answer 11

It is just peer pressure.

The more educated the woman is the less she is going to want children.

Answer 12

I don't think all women want children.  I think society pressures women into thinking that they need children to have a "complete" life.

Answer 13

So the question is why do women seem to want kids more than men seem to want kids.  I don't really think that is true to a statistically significant difference but I will go with it.

From the time that women can watch TV they see women as mothers.  If they have younger siblings, it is usually the girls that do the baby-sitting.  Teen-aged girls use baby-sitting to earn extra money.  So I guess women are socially programmed to see themselves as mothers.

I am sure there is a biological component with estrogen, and the female body readying itself for pregnancy every month.  I came from a privileged background also, and as long as I can remember I have always adored children.  They are so full of life and energy, and are generally happy, so being around them makes YOU happy.  

I also know women who do not want to have children for reasons that are their own business.  My husband didn't want children because his mother made him seem like an inconvenience, and that is what he thought children would be - something to interfere with your life instead of something to enrich it.

There is certainly room for every type of person.  It is bad when people who do not want babies have "accident" babies (like my husband was,) but I know many men, like my brother-in-law who live for their families.  Many men don't want the baby until they hold it in their arms.

Respect for all choices!

Answer 14

Some women (and men) absolutely love kids and are a joy to watch when they are with children. I know some people are very good at educating and caring for children and I hope they are the ones having kids and/or caring for kids.

I grew up within a violent family and thought the responsible thing to do was not reproduce so I made sure the violence stopped. I know people who grow up in abusive households can be good parents-but I just couldn't take the chance.

There's been quite a few studies showing that the more economic opportunities available for women-the less children the families have in their society. I don't think it's that people are selfish-I think parents know their children will make it past childhood and that quality of life becomes important vs quantity. Plus-the more privileged-the more birth control and pre-natal care is available so you can choose when would be the best time to have a child-if ever.  

But you're right-as the Japanese birth rate article below states-if you're in a society that is sexist-why would women want to have kids and raise them alone-while being married?

Answer 15

My hubby and I personally do't want kids. I know a lotof people hve teh maternal urge, but I don't. I'd rather spend my time and money on having fun!

Answer 16

Because they share a part in the gift of creating life. Who doesnt want a child so they can teach and help grow.

Not sure why no one wouldnt want kids. Weird folks

Answer 17

every woman and man is different. some want children, some don't. before we had out son, neither i or my partner really wanted kids. now, i can't wait to have another. for me, it's this feeling of pure, true love and my son is my best friend. if you think you're right for the job you should have children-they make you happy...but only, like i said, if you want them.

Answer 18

Both men and women are programmed by nature to want to reproduce.  If we weren't the species would die out.  Not everybody has the impulse, but the majority do.  it's nature's way of perpetuating the species.

Answer 19

I've always wanted to have children, I'm very family-oriented, I'd like 4 or so but I guess that will also depend on what the hubby wants.

Answer 20

its cuz of the maternal intinstict that God made us women with.

Answer 21

Smile. They shouldn't. It is a personal choice, therefore it should be left to an individual. In the same time women somehow expected to be born as maternal creatures of the world. However, very often it is not the case. Child free lifestyle is flexible and fun, so selfish ( and I did not mean to sound condescending here ) people prefer freedom to enjoy life to its fullest without responsibility for another human being for the entirety of his or her life.

Answer 22

Cause it's coming out of them o_o Maybe they feel more attached and anxious for the experience.

Answer 23

I don't think that it's a "should"