Romantic Umbria (Credit: adamo1978)
Time for a timeless flashback… Topic? Children versus adventure. Children versus carefree, fiesta marriage lifestyle. Children versus spontaneous travel. Remember this riff?
In The Juggle, WSJ.com blog about “choices and tradeoffs people make as they juggle work and family” John J. Edwards III waxed nostalgic for the early days of marriage before he had children.
Like many married-with-kids jugglers, my wife and I look back fondly on our pre-children days… we had many fun times and adventures, from frequent parties in our apartment to a surprise long weekend in Paris. (WSJ.com)
He ruminates on the lifestyle freedom enjoyed by couples who opt not to embrace parenting but concedes that
it’s a cohort that often finds itself misunderstood or even ostracized as friends procreate. (WSJ.com)
He refers to a story posted at DINKlife.com by a woman who has endured countless painful experiences due to her childfree choice.
“but the statement we feel best sums it all up was when a very close couple told us that they did not see us in their lives anymore as we were making the ‘unnatural choice.’ ” (WSJ.com)
The author wraps up with a palpable yearning for the days when he and his bride could zip off to Umbria, Italy like his childfree colleagues at work, but is quick to admit that his suburban social bubble is kid central with nary a childfree couple in the mix.
In fact, the big question generally is “two children or three?” rather than whether or not to have kids. (WSJ.com)
Related articles
About virtualDavis
