Men Share the Amusing and Serious Downsides of Not Having Kids

Author image for Ally Perry
Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Sep 3, 2023 2:00 PM EDT

If you live in the US, you're a part of a country with a birth rate that's about as low as it's ever been. The same goes for quite a few other countries in the world as well. These days, more and more adults are reaping the benefits of choosing to not have kids.

However, it ain't all sunshine, rainbows, and no dirty diapers. Children are definitely one of those major life decisions that it's better to regret not doing, but they do come with some perks. 

This was the topic of a recent r/AskMen thread, in which dudes were asked to list some of the cons of not having kids. Both dads and childfree individuals were more than happy to give answers that ranged from serious to silly. While there's no denying that parenthood is a difficult journey, it's not always doom and gloom. Societal expectations play a role, too. 

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  • 01
    Font - r/AskMen u/fnp003 • 22h What are the cons of NOT having kids?
    via fnp003
  • 02
    Font - Basic Ent 21h Male 42.1k ↓ When you throw a pair of balled up sock across the room and they make it into the laundry hamper, no one will cheer.
    via Basic_Ent
  • 03
    Font - running_stoned04101 21h .... 44.8k ↓ I have to "borrow" a friend's child to go do fun things without seeming like a creep. A 34 year old man doing back flips at a trampoline park is weird. ...
    via running_stoned04101
  • 04
    Human body - WeirdJawn 18h 4 1.6k This is one of the pros of having a kid. I can play on playgrounds or do fun "kid" things without seeming creepy.
    via WeirdJawn
  • 05
    Font - InbredBog 21h 447 You will never know the feeling of coming home to your kids after a long day at work and just basking in the feeling of love your little ones give you. I think there's a certain level of motivation you get once you have kids which I personally didn't have before I had them, that was an unintentional bye product of having kids, I certainly didn't have kids to become motivated. Having f king amazing snacks all around the house at all times.
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  • 06
    Rectangle - kudman77 20h Nobody to avenge you! : ... 42.1k
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  • 07
    Font - 48.2k No-Conference-7195 22h You have to hire someone to mow your lawn.
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  • 08
    Font - Trust MelmAGiraffe 20h 11.9k An actual con. You will find it a lot harder to relate to the majority of your peers who become parents. Their lives will change very quickly and be focused 100% on their children. They will understanably no longer be available to hang out or go on trips, their budgets will be constrained (they can't justify buying that new videogame, when they could buy school clothes). When they do want to meet up or hang out they'll prefer to do it with other families, make
    via TrustMeImAGiraffe
  • 09
    Font - Also i've found my friends who've become parents, also grow up a lot themselves. They have to be more mature and motivated. They have a family depending on them now. To put it bluntly your peers will be moving into the next stage of their lives and whilst good friends will still be in touch with you. It won't be very often and a lot will simply go out of touch. At the start it will just be a couple people but then suddenly over the span of 3 years 90% of people you know will have children
    via TrustMeImAGiraffe
  • 10
    Font - ... B genogano 21h I'm not a parent so take what I say with a grain of salt. I had to take care of my little cousin from 3 to 16. So if I had to guess what CONS would be from my experience with my cousin I would say all the cons are most likely emotional. I think the biggest con is that you don't get to watch someone grow up and share their life with them. Watching and helping my cousin grow filled me with a sense of pride that I never thought about. Depending on your beliefs not putting
    via genogano
  • 11
    Rectangle - Afraid_Ad_1536 21h 4486 The other people constantly asking when you're going to have kids.
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  • 12
    Font - NOUGETSCHWIFTY 22h ← ↑ 972 + Not so much a problem when parents are young and so are kids, but you'll lose most of your friends when they get too busy with their kids. And then at a certain age you'll be that oddball that doesn't have kids and that sometimes makes it hard to relate to people your own age.
    via NOUGETSCHWIFTY
  • 13
    Mammal - speedyeddie 20h ↑ 87 ↓ You lose out on a great way to back out of a commitment you don't want to do anymore. Sorry I can't go out to the bars tomorrow, I don't have anyone that can watch my kid while I'm gone
    via speedyeddie
  • 14
    Font - 01 Hipspazm 22h 42.8k 95% of my daily smiles and laughs are generated by my son acting goofy. I'd miss that.
    via Hipspazm
  • 15
    Font - Only_Up 20h 4210 i just broke a window by accident and i have nobody to blame it on OPE
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  • 16
    Font - Ratsofat 20h 4367 Hi, two-time dad here (as in I have two kids. I don't know why I said it like that). The only thing you're missing by not having kids is literally the experience of having kids. It is truly a unique experience (notice I'm not saying "uniquely amazing!!!" or "uniquely cataclysmic!!!" although it is often times both, even simultaneously). But that's really it. It's challenging. It's expensive. It's confusing. But lots of other things are those things (like living). Having
    via Ratsofat
  • 17
    Font - lizzpop2003 22h Too much money and not nearly enough responsibility. 41.8k
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  • 18
    Font - CheekyBreeky702 22h I have to wash my own dishes 4187 +
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  • 19
    Font - yeahthatwas 21h 4503 ↓ I've lived a life before and after having kids. I have a great relationship with both my mom and dad and love them dearly. I have five siblings. I love all of them. That love pales in comparison to how much I love my kids. You know that saying that a hero would sacrifice his love to save the world, but the villain would sacrifice the world to save the one he loves? For anyone other than my kids, I'd be the hero. For my kids, though, I'd be the villain. No questions
    via yeahthatwas
  • 20
    Font - UZU neopoldian 22h If you want kids and don't have them, myriad. ... 4747 ↓ If you don't want kids and don't have them, nonexistent.
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  • 21
    Font - 4155 ↓ Less opportunity to socialize. With kids you have sports, school activities and meetings, and other extra curricular activities they're involved in that may force you to make friends with other adults. As someone without kids, unless i force myself to be social, I'm not doing anything except working and coming home. I love only having myself to take care of, but damn i wish i had a larger social life. FloatDH2 19h
    via FloatDH2
  • 22
    Rectangle - Crushed_95 20h 4124 ↓ You mofo's are lucky in this day and age because back in the 70s my dad would have been lost without me. I mean who else would have been his television remote control or tv antenna?
    via Crushed95
  • 23
    Rectangle - PangolinMandolin 21h 476 3 In some jobs they will prioritise holiday leave for parents over people who don't have kids. So you may find yourself having to work days around Christmas or other big holiday periods when most other people are enjoying themselves relat ...
    via PangolinMandolin

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dads funny dads men kids askreddit parenting dad askmen Reddit children opinions
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