“You Can Go On Welfare:” The Extremely Low Standards Parents Set For Childfree Women

“All babies are blessings, even if those blessings subject you to a lower quality of life.”

I was around nine years old when my uncle and his wife added another beautiful baby girl to their family. One evening the entire family came over to our house and I got to spend a few hours with my new baby cousin.

After about an hour of playtime she nestled into my arms and quietly drifted off to sleep. I sat on the piano bench in our living room holding her while she slept peacefully.

When everyone was getting ready to leave my aunt came over to me to pick up the sleeping baby. “She fell asleep in your arms? You sure have the mother’s touch!” she remarked with a smile.

Although I didn’t respond my young eyebrows were raised. Her words didn’t add up. Because my cousin would’ve fell asleep on my brother. Or my father. Or my mother. I was the only one with her, so she conveniently found a bed in my arms. I can’t attribute the natural responses of a tired baby to my nonexistent mothering skills.

Ever since I was around five years old I was convinced that I didn’t want children. As much as I love them I know that raising a tiny human being into a productive adult is no small feat. But over the years parents have…