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Parentshave their fair share of challenges, but it doesnt make them superior to those who arent.
Yet, some people perceive having a child as an advantage they can hold over someones head.
She was criticized for supposed laziness and having it easy because she did not have children.
The author expectedly felt terrible and wanted to seek answers from the AITAH subreddit if she was indeedbeing selfish.
Scroll down for theentire storybelow.
You know, normal adult stuff.
I dont have kids, but that doesnt mean Im lounging around with endless free time.
One of my coworkers, Sarah (32F), has two young kids.
But Ive started to notice that Im one of the only ones she asks to help cover her shifts.
Its like she expects me to do it just because I dont have the same responsibilities as her.
Last week, she asked me again to cover for her because her kid had a school event.
You dont have kids, so its not like youre busy with anything important.'
Image credits:valeriygoncharukphoto/Envato (not the actual photo)
I was pretty taken aback.
I told her, Just because I dont have kids doesnt mean I dont have a life.
My time is important too.
She kind of rolled her eyes and walked away, but I could tell she wasnt happy with me.
I didnt realize not having kids made me less deserving of respect at work.
What really gets me is that Ive always tried to help when I could.
I feel like Sarah doesnt respect my time at all, and that really bothers me.
So now Im stuck feeling like the bad guy because I said no for once.
I have responsibilities too, and I deserve to have a life outside of work.
Am I being selfish here?
AITA for finally standing my ground and refusing to cover her shifts after she basically called me lazy?
25% were unsure, while an undocumented demographic claimed they frequently felt pressure to have kids.
Between 2018 and 2023, women under 50 stated they were unlikely to have children.
The number grew from 37% to 47% within the five-year period.
There are several reasons why these women chose to go childless.
24-year-old Tulsa resident Yana Grant shares a similar sentiment.
She believesmotherhoodcan be too taxing for women, which she doesnt see among men.
Then, there is the financial aspect.
Women with children are more likely to be unemployed or to work part-time, Dr. Aponte noted.
Norfolk resident Terri Fuller experiences the same criticism from other women.
Therefore, casting judgment instead of empathizing can be a knee-jerk reaction.
Realizing that people likely wont put themselves in your shoes is one way to ward off the bad vibes.
After all, these are unwarranted disparagements.
As psychotherapist and clinical social workerDeborah Duleypoints out, children dont determine someones worth, despite what society dictates.
The author did not deserve to be shamed for not having children.
Her colleagues were eithertoo judgmentalto look at things sensibly or had a misguided belief about having children.
Either way, she doesnt owe anyone an explanation, nor should she feel bad about her decision.
Whats your take, readers?
Is there any other approach the author could take?
Its essential to recognize the biases and assumptions that might inform these perceptions.
Check out this collection of amusingmemes by people who prefer not having children.
Check out the results:
