I've come to terms with the fact that I may never experience the joy and pain of being a mother or hearing the patter of bare feet run across my kitchen floor, unless they are of the four legged variety. And really, I am fine with that. Yes, there are times when I see examples of poor parenting or children that are not cared for when I am angered and bitter about the path of my fate. However, it seems to me that there are many situations where people without children are penalized.
For those couples that do not have children, think back to the last restaurant you were at and there were screaming kids at the table next to you. How enjoyable was your meal? Instead of having a smoking and non-smoking section, I think some restaurants should have a "family" section and a section designated for those people that do not have children or do not want to hear them.
In regards to restaurants again, when you have children, you can order the child size entrees for a much cheaper price and actually get away with eating them yourself because you have a child present. However, at many restaurants, because I don't have children I am not able to order a child size meal because I don't have children present.
As a teacher, with 9 years experience, I've taught roughly 180 kids over the years. However, there are those that brush off any advice I have for helping a child in school and actually utter the words, "Well, when you have children, you will understand," or "Well, you don't have children, so you don't understand." Apparently, my expertise in the field of children doesn't qualify as knowledge.
Insurance companies will not pay for birth control or feretility treatments, yet they readily provide money or compensation for male erectile disfunction medicines such as Viagra. So not only are we penalized from the restaurant industry or other people, the medical industry laughs at our plight.
It is quite frustrating to be involved with conversations where people freely give advice on how to get pregnant without stopping to think that I am perfectly satisfied with where my life is at right now. I'm sure there are single people who think the very same thing about people who continually comment about their singlehood. May we stand together, the childless and the spouseless until this injustice is solved. May we create the rules for our own clubs and penalize those that don't fit with us.
For those couples that do not have children, think back to the last restaurant you were at and there were screaming kids at the table next to you. How enjoyable was your meal? Instead of having a smoking and non-smoking section, I think some restaurants should have a "family" section and a section designated for those people that do not have children or do not want to hear them.
In regards to restaurants again, when you have children, you can order the child size entrees for a much cheaper price and actually get away with eating them yourself because you have a child present. However, at many restaurants, because I don't have children I am not able to order a child size meal because I don't have children present.
As a teacher, with 9 years experience, I've taught roughly 180 kids over the years. However, there are those that brush off any advice I have for helping a child in school and actually utter the words, "Well, when you have children, you will understand," or "Well, you don't have children, so you don't understand." Apparently, my expertise in the field of children doesn't qualify as knowledge.
Insurance companies will not pay for birth control or feretility treatments, yet they readily provide money or compensation for male erectile disfunction medicines such as Viagra. So not only are we penalized from the restaurant industry or other people, the medical industry laughs at our plight.
It is quite frustrating to be involved with conversations where people freely give advice on how to get pregnant without stopping to think that I am perfectly satisfied with where my life is at right now. I'm sure there are single people who think the very same thing about people who continually comment about their singlehood. May we stand together, the childless and the spouseless until this injustice is solved. May we create the rules for our own clubs and penalize those that don't fit with us.
Comments
I've thought much over your post and I am glad that you are posting your true feelings. I'm sure many can understand exactly what you have said here. Keep on writing.
Love,
Moma