George Clooney doesn't want kids. He's saying so on TV. He's saying that it's a huge responsibility and he wouldn't want to jump into something half-assed.
George Clooney is my hero.
I'm a woman who has never wanted to have kids. I made a bet with a friend when we were 18 that 10 years from that point, I still would have no kids. I won. Whatever female chemical which is supposed to shoot off in my system has never fired, I don't stare longingly at babies, I don't fantasize about what my child with (slip boyfriend's name here) would look like, and I don't daydream about pregnancy. I have plenty of friends who do, and I have plenty of friends with kids.
Ole George (one of my favorite "movie stars," by the way... I'd love to have a beer with him and shoot the shit sometime) can get away with saying that sort of thing though... It doesn't hold the same sort of stigma that it does for a woman. Fortunately, most of my close friends understand. However, I find myself regularly having conversations with people who think I could be a great mom, and they either want to A.) analyze me to understand why I won't do it or B.) convince me that I'm wrong.
I don't mind this, and I'm used to it as well. It's unnatural for a woman in her 30's in the US to not crave children. (I also don't like chocolate or coffee, so I acknowledge I'm not quite "normal" in this world anyway and I'm glad for it!) When I was in Berlin, I learned that Germany has a declining population. People are just not having kids there. If I remember correctly, the government was worried about that,but I thought it was terrific. There are plenty of extra people on this planet already, and I have no reason to add to it.
Basically, if people want to have children, excellent. If they don't, please don't talk down to them about it. The most common thing I hear is, "You just don't understand." Okay, you're right. But it's my choice, which, evidently, you don't understand. At least, those who try to convert me to parentdom don't. Thankfully, most of my friends aren't like that.
Anyway, thanks for speakin' up, George.
