The author doesn't want children.
Courtesy of Jamie Valentino
I've been saying I don't want kids since I was a kid myself. In fact, as I got older, I became convinced I didn't even like being around them.It wasn't something I ever had to think twice about in my 20s, but since entering my 30s, it feels impossible to avoid, especially with taunts of marriage and parenthood through my friends and family.The biggest window into that life has been my baby brother having babies of his own. Seeing him build the life of his dreams made me question whether I'd be enough as a household of one.I thought not wanting kids was just a personal preferenceI don't hate kids in the same way I don't hate dogs, but I've never had a desire to clean up after either one.Sure, you might judge me for comparing raising a kid to caring for a dog, but that's my point. If I couldn't commit to the responsibilities of a pet, what kind of father would I be?And that's exactly why I'm keeping my genes to myself, so my life remains mine through whatever older people have, unsolicited, assured me are my best years.Although being a guy has spared me from my friends and family openly treating me like a spinster, I've noticed how quickly my self-focused life seems to lose meaning in the eyes of people choosing to dedicate their 30s and 40s to their next of kin.My brother was expecting twinsHaving a lot of siblings with a young mother made me feel confident I had enough people who were bound by blood to me.But then my brother announced that he and his wife were expecting twins. I was excited for them.
