There are people who have been dreaming about creating a family ever since they were kids and that's basically the main goal of their life. And while some of those folks want to have a large family with multiple kids, some think that 1 or 2 is more than enough. However, there are also those who want to live child-free lives. They don’t like kids, don’t really see joy in creating a family and that’s not how they aspire to live. And despite various opinions out there about childless people, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. According to statistics, 1 in 5 people don’t want to have children.
Speaking about that, I think many people would agree that it's far better to not have kids than to have them and be unhappy with the decision. Besides, it would probably do no good not just for the parents but for their children as well. On that note, a person on Reddit asked netizens to share signs that show that a person should not become a parent. Here's a list of 42 of these red flags that folks believe indicate unsuitable parents.
More info: Reddit
#1
If you’re thinking of having kids so they can be your retirement plan then please. Don’t.
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86points
#3
If you care too much about getting one gender of child and not having the same desire for the other. Parental love needs to be unconditional
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82points
#4
You think spanking children is cool because your parents did it to you and you "turned out fine".
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78points
#5
If you have mental health issues and can barely keep yourself happy let alone raise a human being. I quit booze five years ago.
I’m a 38 year old male and have just started to get my life together and find some semblance of happiness. We’ve both been in therapy now and are making leaps and bounds.
We had both had very tough childhoods being indigenous and all.
I highly doubt my parents held us in their arms and thought ‘I can’t wait to abuse and neglect you’. I don’t think that’s how these things happen but it did. None the less, for the sake of my own sanity and that of my spouses (who also is on her mental health journey and 15 years into our relationship), it is the most loving thing we could’ve done for ourselves and that of our would be children.
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76points
#6
Don’t have kids if you’re a man and you think your wife will do all of the work. It’s not possible. You have to parent too. She will resent you. It doesn’t work like that.
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76points
#7
If you treat animals poorly / abuse animals. People often treat animals similarly to how they treat children.
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74points
#8
You view your child as a mould in which you can shape, alter, and control, pinning all of your failed aspirations and ambitions on them and forcing them to be something they are not.
Rather than acknowledging your role as a guide, motivator, and a pillar of support to help them discover and forge their own identity and loving them even more because of it.
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70points
#9
if you do it in the hopes of "saving" or "advancing" your relationship, or if you wish to "compensate" for perceived lack of personal achievements
67points
#10
If you demand your child to be like you and share the same beliefs/opinions as you.
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65points
#11
If you obsess over having a cute baby without actually having any experience taking care of babies/kids. The cuteness does NOT fully compensate for the energy, time, patience, and UNCONDITIONAL love needed to properly raise a child.
People see babies as objects or status, and then get frustrated when they actually have to parent. This typically leads to some sort of abuse because the parents are emotionally immature and don’t realize that kids need so much guidance. You’re literally developing a brain from scratch… parenting is not what a lot of people think.
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59points
#12
if you are homo-/transphobic or have other very bigoted and narrow-minded views. your kid might come out as gay/trans, and you should be the one to support them and protect them from haters, not be one of them. if you can't love your kid, no matter what, you should not have kids.
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58points
#14
If you're doing it just because everyone else is
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54points
#16
If you want to use them for content on your social media account.
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49points
#17
1. You hate humans
2. You can barely take care of a house plant.
3. You are broke AF
2. You can barely take care of a house plant.
3. You are broke AF
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49points
#19
You had a traumatic childhood and haven’t put in much work healing from it. You’ll transfer a lot of harm unintentionally to your kids, and likely choose poor partners, as you’re attracted to people who mimic your trauma inducing parental figures.
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43points