Dear Queenie,
Both my husband and I come from families with lots of children but not much money. We both had to do without a lot of things when we were kids and take care of the younger kids and help with housework because our mothers were out working to make ends meet.
Now we’re grown up and we both have good jobs and we’re enjoying life and lots of the things we missed out on as children, like eating at nice restaurants, travelling, nice clothes, a good house with nice new furniture and lots of peace and quiet when we want to be alone and take things easy.
We’re in no hurry to have children. We had enough of that taking care of our brothers and sisters when we were young.
The problem is our mothers. They both keep after us about when are we going to give them grandchildren. They say we’re not getting any younger and we don’t know what we’re missing, and they quote the Bible to us about “be fruitful and multiply.”
Queenie, we don’t want to argue with them, but how do we get them off our backs?—Happily childless
Dear Happily childless,
Tell them you know very well what you are missing, because of your experience taking care of your younger siblings, and that you will have children when you feel ready for the responsibility.
Beyond that you don’t have to say anything. If they keep after you, change the subject.
