A recent “Ask Polly” on The Cut shocked me. A woman writes in with the question, “Should I have a baby?” and even though Polly assures readers the “column is not a parody,” I admit I read the response more than once to be sure her advice actually seemed serious. Continue reading “Advice on the “To Baby or Not to Baby” Question”
Tag: parenthood decision

Long-Term Marriages: Pondering Recent Study Results
A recent study in the Social Psychology Quarterly looks at long-term marriages and has some interesting results to ponder. A summary of findings include: Continue reading “Long-Term Marriages: Pondering Recent Study Results “

Unpacking Reasons Why People Decide Not to Have Kids
The recent piece, “Do You Have Kids,” by Jeannette Cooperman on projects.stlmag.com in part lays out what “14 women of various races, careers, backgrounds, and belief systems, all married or as-good-as, with the resources to raise a child should they choose to” contemplate as reasons women decide not to have kids. Let me briefly unpack them: Continue reading “Unpacking Reasons Why People Decide Not to Have Kids”

Talking Pronatalism on the Podcast, This is Home
Check out the latest This is Home podcast just up today that talks about the choice to not have children.
I had a great interview with Producer/Co-Host Erica Gerard, and was happy to be part of this podcast!
The mission of the This is Home podcast is to “tell stories that expand the understanding of what family means to be more inclusive and reflective of the kind of families we see and experience every day – in all of their beautiful and messy forms.” This podcast episode speaks to home when it means “families of two“!
The podcast can also be found on itunes. Thank you, This is Home, for discussing this!

Pronatalism’s Impact on Motherhood Regret
A recent article in the Life/Parent section of The Toronto Star took on a topic we’ve been seeing more of these days: motherhood regret. This article, “Mothers not alone in regret over having children” speaks to one of the most central pronatalist myths that all too often drives women to have children. Continue reading “Pronatalism’s Impact on Motherhood Regret”

Captain Paul Watson
Biocentrism, Buddhism, and the Parenthood Decision
One of my new heroes is Captain Paul Watson, activist and founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Reading his recent commentary, “Human Lives Are Not More Important Than Animal Lives” in Outdoor Journal and then shortly after finishing the book, Other than Mother set off swirls of contemplation. Let me explain. Continue reading “Biocentrism, Buddhism, and the Parenthood Decision”

Where Are We, After 40+ Years of Talking About the Childfree Choice?
As 2015 came to a close, it marked another year of talking about the childfree choice Let’s take stock. In the big picture, we’ve seen an ascent of talk about this choice in the public sphere since the 70s. That’s over four decades. Where are we after 40+ years of talking about the childfree choice? Let’s start with a quick broad stroke look back in time: Continue reading “Where Are We, After 40+ Years of Talking About the Childfree Choice?”

The 1st Conference of its Kind: The Not Mom Summit 2015
A first-ever conference is happening this Friday and Saturday: The Not Mom Summit. Spearheaded by Karen Malone Wright who runs the site The Not Mom, it is the first time women without children by choice, chance or circumstance will gather for presentations, discussions, and connection. I am excited to be part of it!
Continue reading “The 1st Conference of its Kind: The Not Mom Summit 2015”

Sociologist C. Wright Mills
The Baby Matrix in College Coursework: An Interview with Kimya Dennis, Ph.D.
Last year I had the pleasure of doing a Q&A with sociologist and criminologist, Kimya Dennis, Ph.D. (left), who was doing a study on childfree black women. I recently had another chance to talk with her. She is an Assistant Professor at Salem College, and is currently teaching a sociology course using The Baby Matrix as part of the curriculum. Here’s the Q&A: Continue reading “The Baby Matrix in College Coursework: An Interview with Kimya Dennis, Ph.D.”

Ashleigh From Australia Talks The Baby Matrix
Meet Ashleigh from Australia. She recently read my book, The Baby Matrix, and I just have to share her review and experience titled, “Parenting as a Path to Fulfillment or an Assumption?”
Continue reading “Ashleigh From Australia Talks The Baby Matrix”