yorkiesRcool: I am a parent of two children but I came across your post and wanted to reply to it. I was horrified that you have been pressured by your parents to produce children when it is clearly not something that you want to do.
My husband and met in our freshman year of college and married after graduation. At that time, children were a distant issue; we felt happy with our lives as they were. It wasn't until I was about 26 that we began to think of having a family and we did so at 27. My youngest child is now in high school and I must admit that I never knew how wonderful this experience would be for me. I simply had never envisioned myself in this way until my mid-twenties.
But I certainly don't think that having children is right for everyone. I really appreciate it that neither of our families ever pressured us to have a family. I think it is a personal decision and one that should not be taken lightly. I don't think that all people can find enjoyment in parenthood and for these people, parenting could be disastrous. It is certainly not something that should be entered into without enthusiasm!
I wonder if your parents have noted this: The world needs people without children! Parents are very tied up with their families (as they should be when the children are young) and it is good to know that people without children can devote the time, if they want to, to making a significant contribution to the world through their work. I'm NOT saying that CF people should pick up the slack for all parents. I'm also NOT saying that parents aren't contributing to the world. And I'm not even saying that everyone SHOULD work to help the world. What I am saying is that we need all different types of people in the world and I appreciate those who have spent their time in enjoyable and productive pursuits that contribute to our world in lieu of raising families just as much as I appreciate parents who raise good children.
