Are kids worth it? • Non-Gaming • Social • Eurogamer.net

Deleted user 17 April 2015 08:05:16

What I mean is, is it worth it to have kids? Not even considering the financial aspect - I'm thinking the considerable drain on time and effort. I have my neices and such every so often and, jesus Christ they are hard work. They literally don't stop, it's like looking after someone on speed - they are an incredible intensity, never being quiet or slowing down.

That might just be unluckily them being annoying , but even having the nicest kids in the world. It really is a selfless act having kids, and if people knew the work involved I reckon much more wouldn't have them.

thedaveeyres 17 Apr 2015 08:07:03 13,925 posts
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Yes.

NEXT.

MrTomFTW Moderator 17 Apr 2015 08:11:08 47,501 posts
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I feel like I've not slept properly in 5 years.

Still worth it.

richarddavies 17 Apr 2015 08:13:33 8,312 posts
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thedaveeyres wrote:
Yes.

NEXT.

Mola_Ram 17 Apr 2015 08:14:21 26,187 posts
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My kids are worth every dollar I bought them for.

Youthist 17 Apr 2015 08:14:31 14,723 posts
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Ugh. Lock this shite plz

MrFlay 17 Apr 2015 08:14:39 4,670 posts
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Yes. I have a nephew and a niece and I love spending time with them. They are exhausting but incredibly rewarding.

mothercruncher 17 Apr 2015 08:16:08 19,474 posts
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MrTomFTW wrote:
I feel like I've not slept properly in 5 years.

Still worth it.

So, so much this.

Youthist 17 Apr 2015 08:18:14 14,723 posts
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UNLESS YOU'VE HAD THEM YOU WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND

Trafford 17 Apr 2015 08:20:47 9,358 posts
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@gekoneko

You're not worth it fuckwit.

Mola_Ram 17 Apr 2015 08:27:53 26,187 posts
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They're worth it for some people, maybe not worth it for others. I teach and entertain for kids, and love kids, and would most likely want to have a couple down the road.

But it feels like there's still a stigma against people who choose not to have kids, and I don't think there should be.

Deleted user 17 April 2015 08:28:55

Meh it's a sensitive question and maybe thinking about it in rational terms is offensive to a lot, as having children is still a largely instinctive move. But I don't give a fuck about anyone's sensitivities. If the internet is good for anything it's honesty I guess.

You're not going to get significantly impartial answers on such big investments, when they are investments in reality, but impartiality is not the be all of most peoples; thinking.

twelveways 17 Apr 2015 08:29:14 7,131 posts
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I had kids for a while but didn't get along with them so I gave them away, I recently discovered that the problem was I hadn't seen Boyhood so I didn't 'get' it.

JuanKerr 17 Apr 2015 08:29:40 37,710 posts
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Mola_Ram wrote:
But it feels like there's still a stigma against people who choose not to have kids, and I don't think there should be.

Agreed. People also seem to have a problem when you say you only want one as well, which pisses me off. It's up to the individual.

iamslick 17 Apr 2015 08:32:41 408 posts
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Youthist wrote:
UNLESS YOU'VE HAD THEM YOU WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND

PES_Fanboy does!

Deleted user 17 April 2015 08:33:52

Mola_Ram wrote:
They're worth it for some people, maybe not worth it for others. I teach and entertain for kids, and love kids, and would most likely want to have a couple down the road.

But it feels like there's still a stigma against people who choose not to have kids, and I don't think there should be.

This, except the "want a couple" part. For some reason, people seem to take me not wanting kids (I'm in my mid-thirties) as a personal affront, it drives me nuts. I've been called selfish for it, which strikes me as borderline retarded -- what's selfish about not wanting to add more humans to an already resource-drained, dying planet, just to perpetuate my genes?

Kids are great, I just don't want any of my own.

Dougs 17 Apr 2015 08:33:59 100,414 posts
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mothercruncher wrote:

MrTomFTW wrote:
I feel like I've not slept properly in 5 years.

Still worth it.
So, so much this.

Very much so. But equally, I doubt there are any parents that, rather selfishly, don't think about things they might have missed out in as a result. Might be material things, holidays or whatever but anyone that says they haven't had these thoughts is either lying or a much, much better person than me!

You-can-call-me-kal 17 Apr 2015 08:34:33 23,013 posts
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The problem with weighing it up rationally like this, is you can't really articulate and value the benefits. They're not tangible.

Basically, do you like "love"? If not, don't bother having kids.

JuanKerr 17 Apr 2015 08:35:59 37,710 posts
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Dougs wrote:
But equally, I doubt there are any parents that, rather selfishly, don't think about things they might have missed out in as a result. Might be material things, holidays or whatever but anyone that says they haven't had these thoughts is either lying or a much, much better person than me!

Agree with that 100%.

HairyArse 17 Apr 2015 08:36:45 1,476 posts
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I have none and the thing I always hear from my parent friends is: "Don't you want someone to look after you when you're older? And who will you leave all your stuff to?"

Awesome reasons to have kids.

Dougs 17 Apr 2015 08:39:38 100,414 posts
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The looking after thing isn't so bad but who to leave yours stuffs to?!

nickthegun 17 Apr 2015 08:41:50 87,711 posts
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The best thing to make a big song and dance about not having kids and then pour an unnatural amount of love and attention into your dogs and/or cats.

JuanKerr 17 Apr 2015 08:44:04 37,710 posts
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Dogs I can understand, but cats? Ugh, horrible selfish little fuckers.

Deleted user 17 April 2015 08:47:55

Mind you, it is a little depressing for people who choose not to have kids, to think you are the only one in an unbroken line since the mists of time to not pass on your genes.

Deleted user 17 April 2015 08:50:05

iamslick wrote:

Youthist wrote:
UNLESS YOU'VE HAD THEM YOU WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND
PES_Fanboy does!

No, I'm unable to have any kind of emotion connection whatsoever to any film, book, TV programme or video game. We've done this!

mrharvest 17 Apr 2015 08:51:07 5,718 posts
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The missus and I have been talking about this for a couple of years now, as we haven't got any. We haven't reached a conclusion. I think we are mostly leaning towards adopting in a few years but not sure really.

Ginger 17 Apr 2015 08:51:25 7,256 posts
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Dougs wrote:

mothercruncher wrote:

MrTomFTW wrote:
I feel like I've not slept properly in 5 years.

Still worth it.
So, so much this.
Very much so. But equally, I doubt there are any parents that, rather selfishly, don't think about things they might have missed out in as a result. Might be material things, holidays or whatever but anyone that says they haven't had these thoughts is either lying or a much, much better person than me!

Completely - and Dougs is right - you do sometimes look at your childless mates pissing off on their fifth holiday of the year and think "did I do the right thing?"

MrTomFTW Moderator 17 Apr 2015 08:52:26 47,501 posts
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Is it tonnes of work? Hell yeah. Are they massively expensive? Oh God my wallet. Do I miss just being able to go somewhere on a whim, buy what I want, or even leave the house without it being like a massive military operation? Yes yes and YES. When they're melting down do you just want to explode in frustration yourself? Yes, and it's a terrible feeling.

BUT... It's the fact they amaze you with something new every day. All of a sudden they'll do things they couldn't do before, and the look of pride on their face is brilliant.
It's seeing them experience things for the first time, while I've "seen it all" watching their surprise and excitement is like seeing things as new yourself again.
It's looking at your kids and seeing yourself in them (both of them look like me, I'm so sorry kids!) and it's almost a feeling of immortality.
It's the absolute unconditional love you get, like when you pick them up from nursery or school and they come running with massive hugs and shouts of daddy.

That barely begins to cover the feeling. It's rewarding to the point that you can't explain it.

Plus you get to be massively annoying by showing everyone you meet pictures of your kids. LOOK AT THEM! LOOOOK AT HOW GREAT MY KIDS ARE!

Dougs 17 Apr 2015 08:53:26 100,414 posts
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The answer is always yes, but doesn't mean you can't look on wistfully!

chopsen 17 Apr 2015 08:54:25 21,958 posts
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It is a bit weird how some people get irritated by someone saying they don't want kids. Never had it so much myself. Maybe everybody's just glad there aren't going to be any more of me.

But yeah, it's not something that lends itself to rational discussion.