I never particularly wanted kids, although I vaguely supposed I would some day, as most people do. Then our first happened by accident. I was amazed how much I liked it. (Both the kid herself, as an individual, and the having of kids.)
I think your poll results would probably have been more meaningful if they were separated by sex. (I am male and I voted “Never”, but as I hope is clear, I wsa sort of wrong to feel that way.)
The answer wasn’t really available. I WANTED kids beginning about a year into our marriage.
It’s kind of a confusing question though and I don’t really understand what people mean when they say “I’ve wanted them for as long as I can remember.” You wanted to have kids when you were 6? That’s weird.
I always assumed I WOULD want kids, but we did not actually want to have kids until we’d been married a year or so. Then we wanted to have kids, so we had one. As is turns out, best decision ever. My kid is so ridiculously awesome.
I never wanted kids, never liked kids and couldn’t understand why anybody wanted kids. I had friends who were so into babies and how cute and cuddly were and all I saw was 3am feedings, poopy diapers and spit up. I thought people who wanted kids were insane. I was the one who left the room when co-workers brought their babies and/or children in the office. I look at them and say to myself, ‘yep, that’s a baby, now let me get the hell out of here before I have to think of something nice to say, or even worse… somebody gets the bright idea to hand it to me’. Horrors!
Then I got pregnant. Birth control failure.
Second happiest day of my life when I found out I was pregnant, happiest day was the day he was born.
Now I look at people who say they don’t want kids and think, WHAT?! Are you crazy? Don’t you know you are missing out on the best thing in life?’
My son is the joy of my life.
One of my ‘didn’t want kids’ friends got pregnant around the same time I did, another one decided if I could have a kid a 38 she could have one at 36. Both of them are now happy mothers.
When it’s your child you don’t mind the sacrifices you have to make. Well, I can’t say that because some parents, especially younger ones, do. At 38 I was done with the partying and running here and there.
No matter what you do many people will decide it’s the wrong choice.
Don’t have kids? Bad, selfish, lonely old person!
Have kids in your early 20s? You’re not mature enough.
Have kids in your late 30’s / early 40’s? You’re too old.
Have one kid? Oh my gosh that poor little kid is going to grow to be a self centered brat.
Have two kids and they aren’t different genders? You’ll get the why aren’t you trying for a girl or boy speech.
Have kids that are spaced too closely or too far apart for some people’s tastes? They’ll hate each other / barely know each other.
So you’re screwed no matter what you do. I wanted kids in my early twenties and then faced some serious medical issues that led to us not having our last until relatively late in life. The only thing I would say to anyone else is don’t have them until you’re at least 24. Most people are just not capable of taking on the responsibility of caring for a child physically or emotionally until then. And don’t be a Duggar. Nineteen kids is at least fourteen too many.
When people ask me if I want more kids, just for fun I usually tell them I want less kids.
But in truth I’ve definitely always wanted kids. I got pregnant with my first and only when I was 17, so I never had any adult years to pine for them, but I would have. But now I’m like, shit, kids are so annoying. I love (some of) them but I also love peace and quiet and time to myself.
I married too late, but having a step-granddaughter has been a hoot.
I do think that on this board we probably had some who wanted kids until they read this thread 