Who tf thinks they aren't a burden, how is this an unpopular opinion?
Trust me, there are people who think it's a sin to use the word "burden" when speaking of kids. They are insane IMO
Sounds like they have the unpopular opinion
I actually did expect this much "positivity" to my post lol. I guess I've spent too much time in a Precious Moments figurine store.
There's so much stigma around this sort of thing. It's getting better, but the mindset that children are a gift and parents should be constantly grateful for that gift is still very prevalent.
The reality is that whilst children are absolutely incredible, life affirming and all that good stuff...an awful lot of being a parent is frankly, horrible.
People who believes in sin are insane. Pay them no mind
Lol true
"Babees are such miracles!"
Until they barf in your mouth or piss all over you while changing a diaper lol.
I blame the Hallmark channel.
Today on wildly popular opinion
https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/happiness-spigot
Best summary to this topic I've ever seen.
I kinda wish it would expand on the fact that for some people, the constant care and all that is not for them, and doesn't make it "a good deal" Other than that it's a great summary, coming from someone that doesn't want any.
Anyone who does NOT think kids are a burden either doesn't have kids or doesn't give a sh*t about raising them right. If you are an actually responsible adult and parent, and you intend to give your kids all the attention, care and love they demand and deserve, then it WILL be taxing. It WILL eat up your time and energy for years to come. You WILL have sleepless nights, and unexpected challenges. You WILL be exhausted, frustrated and defeated at times.
The difference is that good parents feel like that tradeoff is worth it. That your beloved family / children matter most, even tho they are a burden. This isn't an "either/or" situation where struggling automatically means that you can't be happy about the struggle. Children can be the light of your life AND the most annoying thing in the universe at the same time, and a good parent will still love them whatever happens.
slow clap and wipes a tear
Literally standing in my kitchen right now reading this at 645am, awake since 4 because my sick 2 year old has been crying and screaming non stop, my wife in bed upstairs with our 2 day old new born, and I'm covered in peanut butter trying to make a nutritious lunch for my 5 year old for school. I have to wake her up soon to get her started. Make eggs for breakfast.
Her booster seat isn't fitting in the middle seat between my sons car seat and infant newborn car seat. So I have to fix that before we leave. My son is most likely drawing on the walls in the entertainment room.
And before 9 I need to feed the chickens and relieve my wife from her sleepless night with a newborn.
Burden is an understatement. Having a sore back is a burden. Having kids is a dynamic lifestyle change. And while sometimes I imagine not having kids and how amazing it would be to be free from that lifestyle, it always comes to the same conclusion: I wouldn't exchange my family life for anything. My children are me and I wouldn't remove them as much as I wouldn't remove my back because it was sore.
First of all, keep up the good work, it sounds like you're an awesome dad and husband my man. I never wanted kids but I now have 6, some of them put me through some shit but I wouldn't trade any of it for a child-free life.
How do you end up with 6 kids if you never wanted any?
A crazy amount of things, dem ass and titties, a partner you think you'd be together with forever, a partner that didn't believe in abortions, having one kid and thinking it wasn't so bad, lying to myself that it'd be no more than 2, did I mention dem ass and titties? Those can be so persuasive when the little guy is doing the thinking.
Children ARE a burden but entitled parents are a bigger burden.
What a stupid post. No one thinks kids aren't a burden.
Sounds like you just don't know as many different types of people as you think you do. There are plenty of people who drone on endlessly about how children are nothing but a blessing, how perfect parenthood is, and a bunch of other lies that they may or may not actually believe.
Than you don't know my ex who almost popped a vein when I said "the burden of the kids is on my shoulders" and she started making like it was blasphemous to think or say that about kids.
She should post her opinion here.
Yea it's beginning to seem like she should be the one here. Who would have thought so many sane people used social media still lol
I live them to death
Is that a typo or the unpopular part?
Lol thanks
I went to a Nerd Night where a positive psychologist shared about PERMA, a break down of the pillars of being happy: Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment.
Her take on kids (based on her research) was that P,E,R, and A definitely take a hit, but parents consistently had the highest happines when it came to Meaning in their life. Overall advice on the question of "Do kids make you more happy than no kids?" was "It really depends on the person."
If I don't put gas in my car it won't move. Fueling my car is a burden, but generally I think it is worth it.
Idk how unpopular this is. Everyone I've ever talked to said that children are a burden. Of course they are. It's hard work to grow plant, lol, and these are whole people. The acronym DINK exists for a reason. That said, it's a worthwhile burden. I love being a parent.
Who have you met that said raising kids isn't a burden?
They exists, they are the people who wants kids and can't have them, the people who think kids can do no wrong, and then there's my ex-wife who actually is burden by our kids when she has them but doesn't want to say they are a burden because it would make her look bad lol
Yup.
I've got two (5,1). I absolutely adore them both, but I'd be lying if I said that having kids hasn't made my life significantly harder, my mental health significantly worse and my sense of self significantly weaker.
One thing I can say is enjoy it while it lasts LOL!
When they get older you miss those days when they were small and easy to understand. Those teenage years, hell.
All humans are a burden
Amen, fellow misanthropist.
The benefit of kids is that on average they become less of a burden over time. meanwhile adults, especially of certain generations klinging to the means of production, power and denying political change necessary to keep the earth livable, are just becoming more of a fucking burden for everyone else every god damn year and they also act all smug about it.
I think burden is the wrong word. It implies an overall negative effect on life, like saying that playing a sport is a burden because you have to dedicate time and energy to it. Yes, my daughter does take up a huge part of my life and I've had to give up hobbies in order to make time for her.
Responsibility and commitment, yes.
Burden, no.
Webster has "duty, responsibility" listed as one of the definitions of burden. In that sense I think they are spot on. However, other people's interpretation of the word can obviously vary
Solution: don't have kids
Solution two: use protection
I'm convinced that having kids causes a brain chemistry change that makes parents willing to deal with their children. Otherwise, the majority of people would never have kids or abandon them shortly after birth.
It depends on how self centered you are. It's like that song "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" by The Hollies. It applies to children too.
The road is long With many a winding turn That leads us to who knows where? Who knows where? But I'm strong Strong enough to carry him He ain't heavy, he's my brother
So on we go His welfare is my concern No burden is he to bear We'll get there For I know He would not encumber me He ain't heavy, he's my brother If I'm laden at all I'm laden with sadness That everyone's heart Isn't filled with the gladness Of love for one another
It's a long, long road From which there is no return While we're on the way to there Why not share? And the load Doesn't weigh me down at all He ain't heavy, he's my brother
What app are you using for Lemmy? Your post url references itself which is really weird.
Unpopular Opinion
Welcome to the Unpopular Opinion community!
How voting works:
Vote the opposite of the norm.
If you agree that the opinion is unpopular give it an arrow up. If it's something that's widely accepted, give it an arrow down.
Guidelines:
Tag your post, if possible (not required)
- If your post is a "General" unpopular opinion, start the subject with [GENERAL].
- If it is a Lemmy-specific unpopular opinion, start it with [LEMMY].
Rules:
1. NO POLITICS
Politics is everywhere. Let's make this about [general] and [lemmy] - specific topics, and keep politics out of it.
2. Be civil.
Disagreements happen, but that doesn’t provide the right to personally attack others. No racism/sexism/bigotry. Please also refrain from gatekeeping others' opinions.
3. No bots, spam or self-promotion.
Only approved bots, which follow the guidelines for bots set by the instance, are allowed.
4. Shitposts and memes are allowed but...
Only until they prove to be a problem. They can and will be removed at moderator discretion.
5. No trolling.
This shouldn't need an explanation. If your post or comment is made just to get a rise with no real value, it will be removed. You do this too often, you will get a vacation to touch grass, away from this community for 1 or more days. Repeat offenses will result in a perma-ban.
Instance-wide rules always apply. https://legal.lemmy.world/tos/