[kendi]

Originally Posted by Veiragirl

I chose not to have kids. Don't have the Mommy gene. I have never once been sorry for my choice. I really think ALOT of people regret their choice to have kids. Of course they will never admit it. Having kids TOTALLY changes your life. Thank God for the pill and tubal ligations. I gave myself one for my 31st birthday

An illusion on your part. Having kids changes one’s life in amazing ways that one could never imagine otherwise. I’ve never met one person who regretted it.

[MidWestIA]

You are the same as people that don't bring their family here or visit them very often.

[La lamy]

Childless here too, but my partner has a kid and 2 grandkids. They are his pride and joy. I've heard that grandchild to grandparent relationship is generally the best one of all and I believe it. I always enjoy hearing about other's visits with their kids or grandkids, but no one has ever asked me if I have kids in TV. Not a huge topic by any means.

[salpal]

Originally Posted by Veiragirl

I chose not to have kids. Don't have the Mommy gene. I have never once been sorry for my choice. I really think ALOT of people regret their choice to have kids. Of course they will never admit it. Having kids TOTALLY changes your life. Thank God for the pill and tubal ligations. I gave myself one for my 31st birthday

I am your twin LOL no kids and ligation at 30! I have no regrets about not having children, nor does my husband. Call us selfish but we travel extensively and have a wonderful life. Upon our deaths, all monies go to charity. My only regret is that I am the youngest in my immediate family and I am the only one still alive.

[Happydaz]

Looks like my wife and I are on the other side as we have five sons and fifteen grandchildren. It is so rewarding to see these young people grow up and take their place in society. One son once asked me about having children, I told him it was the most important thing in my life and no job or amount of money was worth more. A co worker who was single once asked me if I considered getting frozen so that in the future , when they had a cure for what killed me, I could be thawed and cured. I just listed the names of my five sons and she was dumbfounded about what I was talking about. Another person said he listed the names of his sons. I then told her I am going into the future with all my sons and grandchildren. We just love our get togethers and we also have a one week reunion where we rent a big house to fit everyone in. On the other hand my brother has no children and is a skier and hang glider in Jackson Hole. He tells people he didn’t have to have any because his brother did more than his share! He does have a framed picture of all of our family from our last reunion on his desk. He loves it when my sons take their families out there to visit him. This is America, people are free to do what they want, but having children is the greatest joy of many people.

[Don5154]

Originally Posted by AbbyPye

Greetings to all. It’s been a while since I’ve checked in last. But I have a question to ask. But first, our update..

After going through a LOT of “ups and downs” in the market, as well as finding a home, my partner Pat and I finally closed in on a home we really wanted to get. We almost had a home previously, but to make a very long story short that will be discussed later in another separate entry, we were not able to get it as we had thought. But through the grace of our real estate agent, we succeeded in finding the home we desired to live in for the rest of our existence!

Now to my question addressed to all...

As a couple over the age of sixty, we had discovered that we are of a couple that never had kids. This means that there are no kids of adult age within our family, which means that we do not have any grandkids. And from what I understand and according to information recently released by the US Census Bureau, only 20% of married couples age sixty and up are childless. And when I state “childless”, this means that kids were never part of the married couple’s family. In addition, my partner is an only child, while I have two siblings that never married (their choice) and thus, never had kids on their own! (No nieces and nephews within our immediate family either!!)

Are their any couples out there within The Villages who were always childless? Are we one of the few couples that never had kids/grandkids within our domain, and will never have kids/grandkids?

We stated what we wanted to express. Now you have the floor....

Not sure of the point being made

[asianthree]

We have friends who choose not to have children due to devastating health issues that would have been passed to child.

Friends who tried to have children, but never carried to viable life

Friends who’s child passed at a very young age, and choose not to try again

And some including 2 of our own children who chose not to have children. Both dedicated their life to teaching gifted, and autistic children.

One can choose happiness no matter what their life choice.

[MandoMan]

Originally Posted by AbbyPye

Greetings to all. It’s been a while since I’ve checked in last. But I have a question to ask. But first, our update..

After going through a LOT of “ups and downs” in the market, as well as finding a home, my partner Pat and I finally closed in on a home we really wanted to get. We almost had a home previously, but to make a very long story short that will be discussed later in another separate entry, we were not able to get it as we had thought. But through the grace of our real estate agent, we succeeded in finding the home we desired to live in for the rest of our existence!

Now to my question addressed to all...

As a couple over the age of sixty, we had discovered that we are of a couple that never had kids. This means that there are no kids of adult age within our family, which means that we do not have any grandkids. And from what I understand and according to information recently released by the US Census Bureau, only 20% of married couples age sixty and up are childless. And when I state “childless”, this means that kids were never part of the married couple’s family. In addition, my partner is an only child, while I have two siblings that never married (their choice) and thus, never had kids on their own! (No nieces and nephews within our immediate family either!!)

Are their any couples out there within The Villages who were always childless? Are we one of the few couples that never had kids/grandkids within our domain, and will never have kids/grandkids?

We stated what we wanted to express. Now you have the floor....

I have three children in their mid-thirties who live far away and show no signs of having children. The irony is that I have spent hundreds of hours on Ancestry tracing my family back over a thousand years, and I have many hundreds of family photos. But I will have no descendants who will care or remember.

[cdburdick]

No kids, by choice. Both parents were only children, so no aunts, uncles or cousins. One beloved brother who died last year. He had two kids, but one died by suicide 8 years ago. The other lives halfway across the country. We used to be close, but he has his own life now.

It's lonely having no blood family left. So, I've adopted my own chosen family, right down to four grandkids, who call me Grandma. And one loving woman who I've called "Mom" for many years.

No regrets not having children, but I do wish I had more than one blood relative.

[Reynoka]

I would think there are more childless people in the villages than the general population of the U.S.
I would love to live in the villages but grown children keep me in the cold North! I don’t regret having kids. They are our pride and joy. When we told them we were selling our house and moving, they both begged us to stay. They are married, childless, but love their Mom and Dad. They come over often and love us. People who completely genuinely love you are hard to come by! I’ll wear sweaters for that!

[LG999]

Originally Posted by AbbyPye

Greetings to all. It’s been a while since I’ve checked in last. But I have a question to ask. But first, our update..

After going through a LOT of “ups and downs” in the market, as well as finding a home, my partner Pat and I finally closed in on a home we really wanted to get. We almost had a home previously, but to make a very long story short that will be discussed later in another separate entry, we were not able to get it as we had thought. But through the grace of our real estate agent, we succeeded in finding the home we desired to live in for the rest of our existence!

Now to my question addressed to all...

As a couple over the age of sixty, we had discovered that we are of a couple that never had kids. This means that there are no kids of adult age within our family, which means that we do not have any grandkids. And from what I understand and according to information recently released by the US Census Bureau, only 20% of married couples age sixty and up are childless. And when I state “childless”, this means that kids were never part of the married couple’s family. In addition, my partner is an only child, while I have two siblings that never married (their choice) and thus, never had kids on their own! (No nieces and nephews within our immediate family either!!)

Are their any couples out there within The Villages who were always childless? Are we one of the few couples that never had kids/grandkids within our domain, and will never have kids/grandkids?

We stated what we wanted to express. Now you have the floor....

I have never had children. My first husband was the oldest of a large family and he was responsible for his siblings resulting in his feeling he already raised enough children. My second marriage was later in life so we never had children together. So, we are also a childless couple.

[Granville75]

I come from a fairly large family (7 siblings). My husband has 3 brothers. We don’t have any kids by choice. On my side we have around 60 nieces/nephews (including great/great-great). On his side only 4. MANY years ago we stopped most of the large gatherings and gift giving. Exceptions might be a 1st birthday or other milestone. I do wonder what we’ll do later in life when we may need extra help. Guess we’ll see how much my favorite nieces really love us lol.

[debem1@aol.com]

I'm sorry, but I have 2 children, 5 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren and am PROUD OF IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Stephaniew]

Originally Posted by Happydaz

Looks like my wife and I are on the other side as we have five sons and fifteen grandchildren. It is so rewarding to see these young people grow up and take their place in society. One son once asked me about having children, I told him it was the most important thing in my life and no job or amount of money was worth more. A co worker who was single once asked me if I considered getting frozen so that in the future , when they had a cure for what killed me, I could be thawed and cured. I just listed the names of my five sons and she was dumbfounded about what I was talking about. Another person said he listed the names of his sons. I then told her I am going into the future with all my sons and grandchildren. We just love our get togethers and we also have a one week reunion where we rent a big house to fit everyone in. On the other hand my brother has no children and is a skier and hang glider in Jackson Hole. He tells people he didn’t have to have any because his brother did more than his share! He does have a framed picture of all of our family from our last reunion on his desk. He loves it when my sons take their families out there to visit him. This is America, people are free to do what they want, but having children is the greatest joy of many people.

Well said I agree I have 2 children and my husband has 3 we have 9 grand children and love them more than anything and love spending time with them I wish we could spend more time together but some live out of state I guess it is up to the person on what they think is important no amount of money would ever ever replace them I would never pick money a home in villages or any where else over my kids or grand kids

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by BlueStarAirlines

I'm racking my head to think if someone having kids has even been mentioned in passing by anyone I met in the past few years. Lots of folks have had "family coming into town", but that could literally be any relative. In my opinion, if talking about your kids is a reoccurring topic of conversation and you are more than 55+, you need a few more hobbies!

Guess we move in different circles.

Love our kids and grandkids and to us they make life so much better. Having our grandkids call us to talk to us is an awesome thing that people without kids will never understand.

However this is your choice.