'You will live an empty life': 38 yo kid-free woman warned

She's been blasted as ‘selfish’ and ‘miserable’ for not wanting kids.

Motherhood is certainly not for everyone, and I'm not sure why society still thinks it should be.

I'm Gen X and have some much younger friends, and I love that they have the liberty to say no to the traditional life of marriage and kids.

Well, at least, more liberty than I did in my 20s and 30s, as a 'good girl' who ticked all the life boxes.

But that's not to say they're not pressured at all. One woman, NattyTheBratty, Natalie on TikTok, has in fact been slammed recently for announcing she will not be having children.

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Natalie responded to critics who called her “selfish” for her decision, and saying that she prefers to be “the fun auntie.”

“I hear the question, ‘Who’s going to take care of you when you’re older?’ a lot. I don’t agree with that,” the 38-year-old paralegal and caregiver for her dad told Newsweek.

“You shouldn’t have kids just to ensure someone will take care of you later in life, that’s a huge burden to place on them. It’s important to make decisions based on what’s best for your life, not out of fear of the future.”

Image: NattyTheBratty/TikTok

But many commenters on her clips have slammed her for that attitude.

She has been told that her life will have “no meaning” if she doesn’t have kids; an idea she finds “frustrating.” For Natalie, fulfillment doesn’t only come from being a parent.

“I used to believe that getting married and having kids were essential milestones for a meaningful life.

“However, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to realize that this isn’t the case. My life holds meaning on my own terms, and I’ve learned that fulfillment doesn’t depend on meeting society’s traditional expectations.”

@nattythebratty

Call me selfish idc. Have a great day #nokids #dink #putmefirst #travel #adulting #travellife #fyp #youdoyou #mindyourbusiness

♬ original sound - NATALIE

Natalie shared that many viewers do no understand, nor respect, her point of view.

“Comments that I get when I say I don’t want kids: ‘You sound so miserable,” she says inn her viral clip, which was captioned, “Call me selfish idc.”

She adds sarcastically, “So miserable in my business class seat on a random Wednesday flying to Europe. Yeah I’m so miserable that I don’t have kids.”

Further explaining herself, Natalie says she can only afford to pay for herself to go on holidays alone, and will happily reside in a nursing home when she’s elderly.

But commenters were quick to bring her down, such as this person who wrote: “It’s all fun until you realize you have lived an empty life, that you have filled with things. Not being able to have kids is one thing, but shaming people that want is not right as well.”

There was also much support.

This mum warned, “Girl I have 4. I love them but DON'T do it."

Another argued, “People are just mad you were not brainwashed and indoctrinated into thinking about woman’s value is only as a mother or wife."

And this person commented along the lines of what I mentioned above - this generation having more choice.

“I have children. However, I’m so proud of this generation of women that have actually THOUGHT about having kids. Not merely having them as a ‘natural’ progression of life or obligation,” she said.

Finally, there was this, which most of us are thinking: "I don’t understand why people take others not wanting kids SO personal. If they’re jealous they should just say that."

Originally published as 'You will live an empty life': 38 yo kid-free woman warned