I do my best thinkin on the bus
 

How do you know? What if before the kids are born they are like little puffs of spiritual smoke in some ethereal third dimension waiting to be born. And while they are waiting, at night, while we sleep, they sneak into our bedrooms (actually if they are spirits they don't have to sneak but whatever) and whisper in our ears "birth me, birth me now", "don't use a condom, go bareback", "don't pull out don't pull out", "pepperoni pizza" and other such subliminal exhortations????

Never thought of that, didja?

In honor of mothers' day
 

I don't think you're going to find much opposition to your decision on this board.

TM

kidless
 

I'm convinced those people are called fathers. ;) I love my kids very much, think they are generally pretty well behaved as kids go, but thank God that mrs. fish, is far more patient with them than I.

I'm not sure if this is nature or nurture. Any thoughts from others who have kids?

Speaking of kids....
 

I also know of no one who wishes their kids weren't around. But, I do know of a few people who wish that they had decided to procreate with a different partner. I think, generally, that if someone has distaste for their kids, they also probably don't like their spouse much.

Speaking of kids...
 

Man, I have always wanted to do that and thought about it a couple of times when confronted by the Catholic mother-in-law who keeps asking me if I'M SURE. Yes, I'm sure. I have been sure for many years. The continual badgering will NOT change my mind. On the other hand "it's none of your fucking business" doesn't get the right reaction no matter how badly I want to say it to people. Any other suggestions as to what to tell people (even co-workers) who ask when you're going to have kids?

kidless
 

There is a woman here who refers to her pets are her kids to the degree that someone said to me wait, I didn't know so and so had kids. Now that is a little scary. I jokingly call my cats my kids from time to time, but everyone knows I am joking, and lord knows I hope if I do have kids I treat them with a little more consideration then shoving them off the couch and saying I told you to get the fuck away from me didn't I?

I enjoy kids, but I am not sure I have the patience to be a mother. I also have some concerns about making sure they have a good male role model, but that is a whole different issue.

In honor of mothers' day
 

My tendency has been to offer a simple, unapologetic "I'm not." People then react one of two ways: (1) "you hate all kids, you monstrous unwomanly unnatural freak" or (2) "of course you will I didn't realize until I had them that my life was utterly empty and meaningless before".

This pisses me off then because (1) while I may or may not (and may certainly find your own kids unbearable), it doesn't lessen my essential decency as a person, and either way I'd never be rude enough to say so and (2) while your life may be a miserable useless pile of crap without kids, mine is actually pretty damn great. But there's no way to convince people without acting like I'm justifying my actions, which I won't do for some graceless idiot.

25 Sequels this year
 

Yes and no.

Rodriquez originally directed El Mariachi for about 10K on his credit cards.

It made such a splash that he re-made his own movie, the big budget Hayek [drool] vehicle "Desperado".

Some people call it a remake - others call it a sequel.

not7y(go Ducks)S

I do my best thinkin on the bus
 

Can't say I ever did.

I don't know why it wouldn't occur to me that someone would be a puff of spiritual smoke whispering in your ear, don't use a condom, don't pull out don't pull out.

I knew you were strange Penske. But I had no idea you were this strange.

kidless
 

I must go on record as saying that I never call my dog my kid -- although I did give her a name that would have been very nice for a little girl.

Speaking of kids...
 

Appropos of something, this is just foul:

It's a Boy! Will You Marry Me?

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A woman who has a boy out of wedlock is much more likely to marry the father than if she has a girl, U.S. economists reported on Monday.
_
Full text: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...rriage_boys_dc

underrated
 

What? I have never come without ejaculating. I can't imagine how this would even be possible? Has this happened to anyone?

And as far as ejaculation without coming, I don't think it ever happens. I think there is some pre-ejaculate liquid that comes out, but I've never splooged without orgasming either. Although, I have seen American Pie (or whatever movie) where the nurse sticks her finger up Stiffler's ass and he splooges, but I think he came too. Slave? Can you field this one?

TM

Speaking of kids....
 

What he said.

As it happens, I have a newborn at the house, and have nighttime diaper duty. I will admit that on occasion I've questioned my decisions in this regard on a random Tuesday at 2:30am (since I'm up anyway), but only in the sense that I'm really freakin' tired and want some sleep. As Bilmore has pointed out, I might say it, but I don't really mean it. Often, I just want something to complain about.

Like 8-track, I (and the SO) occasionally remember fondly our carefree childless days, but not so much so that I would've done things differently.

(Of course, I'm speaking at the moment with experience at the newborn and toddler stage. My opinions may change ten years from now when the kid borrows and wrecks my car.)

Gattigap

Speaking of kids....
 

Actually (and I can't find it on the net again, it was on some university website), I read a study of the "won't admit it" factor that suggest it is substantial - like the percentage of those who admit they regret having children increases five fold if reassured the poll is anonymous. And I would wager you could get very different answers to the questions "do you regret it" vs. "would you do it differently if you could do it again?" I think the study I'm thinking of was the same one done a couple of years ago that showed that satisfaction with parenthood was inversely proportional to the time spent with children (i.e.: divorced non-custodial fathers were the happiest with parenthood, non-working mothers the least satisfied).

The "70% said they'd not have children if they had it to do over again" stat is interesting but I doubt the Anne Landers column constitutes a properly controlled study.

Speaking of kids....
 

Don't hold your breath waiting for such an admission either here or anywhere else. Who, even in this sorta anonymous forum, is going to admit that they wished their kids were never born? You hit the nail on the head with the whole "wishing them dead" analogy.

Also, the few parents who do feel this -- who actually think that having Junior was a mistake, ruined their marraige, kept them from pitching for the Mets, etc. -- know that an overwhelming wave of social disapproval will bury them if they even hint at such a feeling.