Is this childfree?

[Blackmare]

I am so happy to have a place to talk about the "child/less/free" issue. For years I wanted to have children, but wanted to wait until my 30's. Well here I am in the beginings of my 30's and I don't want children anymore. But this where the question comes in. I don't want to adopt, I want to foster children. It is not because of the money the state pays, I just see that these children are usually in a state of crisis and need somewhere loving, safe and peaceful to go. Right now I am trying to set up my career to make this all possible. I am also starting to look into permanent methods of BC.
I did read through the introduction and there was some mention of adoption, but none for those who only wish to foster. Which of course means that there will be no permanent child in my life.
But do I fall into the catagory of childfree? Because I am more like a transfer point for switching trains to a final destination.

[Rinky vs.4.0]

No you don't. Read the FAQ. It's set out quite clearly there. If you want to be a parent of any variety, you ain't childfree, you're childless.

I applaud you for wanting to foster though.

[jeth]

As do I.

You would be parenting in a sense so you wouldn't be child-free, but getting involved in a child's life that needs proper guidance and a good support system is admirable. I volunteer with kids of various abilities and it's a great outlet for me to help out some truly genuine, loving kids while at the same time allowing me to keep the whole all-about-me lifestyle that I've grown so accustomed to.

[LovelyPerversio]

There IS a need for temporary foster homes for children. In many cases, there needs to be a home for a child while a custody battle is taking place, or while a single parent is shipped off to rehab.

Be aware, though, that these truely temporary cases are usually children who HAVE homes that they feel they were ripped away from.

It'll be a struggle, and I applaud your efforts!!!

I think it's a GREAT answer to the "whether or not to have children" question.

(not something for those of us who'd rather be without kids, but we all applaud you none-the-less)

If you happen to live in Tennessee, send me a pm. My mother works at a child advocacy(sp?) center there, and I'm sure she could point you in the right direction if you happen to live near there.

[Blackmare]

You would be parenting in a sense so you wouldn't be child-free, but getting involved in a child's life that needs proper guidance and a good support system is admirable. I volunteer with kids of various abilities and it's a great outlet for me to help out some truly genuine, loving kids while at the same time allowing me to keep the whole all-about-me lifestyle that I've grown so accustomed to.

This is where the confusion sets in. Because I am not trying to answer the question of whether to have children or not. I won't. And I won't be anything more than a glorfied baby-sitter, really. I am just concerned about kids that are in crisis. They need someone to be there, but I won't get to keep them. I am just a transfer point between one permanent home and another.
Once the whole idea of fostering came into the my picture, the desire to have children left. Just walked out the door. It didn't even leave a note or a phone number.
My life will still be all-about-me, just with an extra bedroom that the state decides whether or not to fill. When I die, I will have no grown children around my bed sending me into the afterlife.
I am still in the process of convincing my SO about fostering. He is truly child-free and fucking fab. I think he sees it as something I want to do, and not something we are doing together. So I have my own row to hoe over here. I'll just leave myself in between, because that is where I am.

[queensiefaerie]

I think you have made a wise choice regardless if you follow though with it. There are so many children born unwanted in this world. I personally think this is far more admirable than just having kids of your own & being a Mom, for what ever reason. This is extremely thoughtful of others.

[Parentdetective]

I have seen many foster kids grow up in loving homes. I think it is great if you do this.

[polo]

I am so happy to have a place to talk about the "child/less/free" issue. For years I wanted to have children, but wanted to wait until my 30's. Well here I am in the beginings of my 30's and I don't want children anymore. But this where the question comes in. I don't want to adopt, I want to foster children. It is not because of the money the state pays, I just see that these children are usually in a state of crisis and need somewhere loving, safe and peaceful to go. Right now I am trying to set up my career to make this all possible. I am also starting to look into permanent methods of BC.
I did read through the introduction and there was some mention of adoption, but none for those who only wish to foster. Which of course means that there will be no permanent child in my life.
But do I fall into the catagory of childfree? Because I am more like a transfer point for switching trains to a final destination.
it was great

[KV]

I also enthusiastically applaud your efforts fostering kids. Well done and thank you for doing it.

I do not consider myself child-free because I still may want to have children in some way. I like coming here because I can very much relate to the whole child-free perspective and the frustration that comes with it at times. It's a great place to vent!

xo
Rachel

[Cam]

I've never particularly wanted children, and for most of my life I could've said "never"...but I'm not childfree because even though my wife currently doesn't want to have children, it's still out there as a possibility. And I'm not deadset either way. Luckily for us, it would take a conscious effort on our part to get there because it would take one of those medical miracles to conceive naturally.