Welfare is an outdated term but I was once using government assistance after I had my first kid: food stamps, WIC, Medicare. I was definitely happy, happier than I have been at many other points in my life. I think that millionaires are some of the least happy people on the planet. |
Then your solution is obvious - take a low-paying job to qualify for those benefits again and return to your erstwhile bliss! |
| People are too cavalier about having kids. I have two and honestly it was a mistake, DW and I should have had 1 or none. So much time and effort is going into raising these kids that I'm losing myself as a person. But they're here so I suck it up and soldier on. Its a pretty terrible existence. |
Same here. Sure, money was tight, but we were so connected as a family because we weren’t so focused on all the junk and stuff that clutters everyone’s lives. I never once missed going to a fancy restaurant when we were packing peanut butter sandwiches and walking to the park to have a picnic. My dad actually was a millionaire until he lost it all when I was a kid. We struggled, but I way preferred poor dad than rich dad. We couldn’t afford expensive classes or nannies, but instead he gave us his time. For example, he couldn’t afford to send me to sleep-away camp, so instead we all spent a weekend at “camp”. Some of the best memories of my life. My dad also agrees that being rich is often miserable, so much of your attention is on money and making more of it. Your life is what you make of it. I know a lot of people on welfare who have joyful, warm, inviting lives. I also know wealthy people who are incredibly lonely and go home to an empty house night after night. I know people with kids who only focus on the things they are missing out on, and they’re miserable. But I also know many people who focus on everything they’ve gained, and they’re truly the richest people I know. |
+2. Our society is set up to squeeze every last drop of productivity out of us by convincing us we need all this “stuff” to be happy. We need a complete overhaul to focus on relationships and family and connection, not productivity. Unfortunately I don’t think we’ll see that in our lifetime. |
| OP is someone forcing you to have children? Just enjoy your life in any way you see fit and stop judging others. |
| You’re 100% correct. If you are not 110% into having kids don’t do it. It will consume your life 24/7..7 days a week..no break. Your prior life will cease to exist forever. |
Having 1 kid shortens the telomeres for women by 10 years. You will look and feel 10 yrs older bcz physically you are. Now for dad bods, can’t explain that one except for laziness and obviously not caring for your health. |
Then why do I look the same age as all my childless college and law school classmates? This sounds like fake science. |
So true. |
New flash…you don’t.
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So you have no source for your assertion it alters appearance and it's fake news. Got it. |
Then if someone has 4 kids their life is shortened by 40 years? |
I don't even know what I did in my before-kids life that was so important. It's much more fulfilling (for me) to raise kids, even though it's hard. |
| I'm not a millionaire but we have a full-time nanny. Mine are 3 years apart and it's still tough. There are fun times though too and I wouldn't trade this life for my kid-free one. To each his own. |