why can t all pets be as easy as snakes??

[dkatz4]

No kids...yet... Been married for 5 years now and we are considering having a single kid. Getting lots of "pressure" from my parents about it lol as we are in our mid 30's now.

When that happens (if we decide to have one), then I know I will have to cut waaay back on the animals. I've been trying to streamline my maintenance routine now to be as efficient as possible with that in mind... I want as much automation as possible (timers, misters, etc.). And if I loose any animals to old age, I'm not planning on replacing them until either we've decided not to have a kid or until said kid is older and not as needy.

I teach (art, 1st - 12th grade) and with that, I've seen a lot of the bad side of kids lol... enough to make me question things. My husband used to talk about having a kid all the time until his nephew was born and we got to enjoy family vacations with his temper tantrums, awake at night crying, etc. Now he isn't as keen on the idea lol. Kids can be great too, but never "easy" lol

I respect parents a lot, as it is a very hard job to do 24/7. Some kids I can barely take for their 30 minute art class session... especially the younger ones. I come home tired from teaching as it is, so I can't imagine coming home and having to entertain / deal with a child as well.

You've got to do what is right for you, I can tell you that kids will bring you to your highest highs and your lowest lows. They're kind of like heroin, greatest feeling imaginable but also ruins your life ( just kidding, no disrespect to anyone who is actually in recovery). Headaches associated with them that you described experiencing with your nephew are extremely real and must be taken into consideration but also understand that while you're dealing with those issues your caveman brain kicks in when it is your own offspring and it somehow doesn't feel as bad. I could fill a book with all of the parts of my life that are worse off, unfulfilled, or just plain miserable as a direct result of my kids, but at the same time I love them more than the air I breathe (I seriously got choked up typing that just now). It's not a choice to be taken lightly, and it's not something anyone should be pressured into, I have a lot of respect for people who choose not to have kids, there are already too many people on this planet, and it's crazy to make more just because somebody else thinks you should