Is There an Increased Dislike of Children in Our Society?

A new mom recently went to Reddit to ask this question, and so I am bringing it to my readers. She started her post with, “Rant but also advice, please.” She wanted to understand what to do or say when people show her a strong dislike for kids.

She Didn’t Plan to be a Young Mom

The 23-year-old began by sharing that she did not expect to become a mom at her age, but that her daughter is awesome. User lightflor0820 then told readers how cool it has been for her to have the opportunity to watch her child grow and to work on her own patience. 

However, it seems that this young mother needs more patience with society and her family than with her child since they are the ones causing her issues.

Rude and Unnecessary Comments

The mom explained that she has had many people, even her own family members, make comments to her about children that were just “awful.” The people in her life said things to her that no expectant or new mom should hear.

They told her that her marriage would “go straight down the toilet,” if she had a baby because moms should never take their kids out in public. People insisted that a parent who takes their children to events or places, “ruins” the event for the other people around them.

Mom was Shocked and Saddened

This information has saddened the new mom, as you can imagine. She shared that it has “put me in such a funk.” The young woman stated,” I know that not all children are well-behaved,” and further exclaimed, “We were all children once. I know so many children who are better behaved than adults I know!”

The young mom then asked, “Have people always said these sorts of things to parents? How do you deal with people who say these sorts of things?”

Why Wouldn’t People Like Kids?

When it comes to not liking kids, there does seem to be an uptake in the number of people who feel this way. A guest post on Offbeat Home & Life pretty much declared their dislike for kids, and they aren’t ashamed to admit it. 

People even go to Quora to ask, “Why don’t I like kids?” One Quora user answered that there are 5 top reasons that he doesn’t like being around kids. 

1. Children can be too noisy. 
2. They ask too many questions.
3. They’re not intelligent and therefore boring.
4. They force you to entertain them.
5. They need constant monitoring.

Another user added that there is nothing wrong with not liking kids, and yet another stated, “Not everyone connects with kids.” 

Redditors Share Their View

In response to the young mom on Reddit, several chimed in to give their opinions on adults not liking children. One answered, “I think you’re on to something. I also think that as people have fewer/no children, and later in life, they’re just not as used to being around kids.” They explained that when those people are around children, then they may seem more disruptive.

Another Redditor responded, “I think it’s gotten worse over the pandemic also. People became used to spending most of their time in their own controllable space and even when they did go out in public, places were significantly depopulated, especially of children.” They feel that this has given society a “false reality of what a public space should be like.”

What Do YOU Think?

We want to hear from you. What do you think about kids? Do you feel that society as a whole has become less tolerant of children? Why do you think that is? Is this true for you, or do you enjoy being around children? Give us your answers in the comments!

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