“Oh, my God, I have no desire. I would not be a good mother. I mean, I love being an aunt to my niece and nephew. And I used to want to, like, adopt 10 kids — because I had friends who were adopted, and I thought that was the coolest thing, to be chosen. But again, my job is too selfish”
Kelly Clarkson in a USA Today interview speaking about how she doesn’t want kids.
I love Kelly Clarkson. I’ve already come out of the Clarkson closet, but it cannot be overstated-I think she’s great.
It seems that motherhood is just expected of women and I really respect a woman who is brave enough to be child-free by choice. Speaking of which, I’d like to be CFBC for, like, a day or two. Does anyone know of a good kid kennel?
In the interview, she talks about life lived on a ranch and how she hasn’t changed, her attitude about being true to her music, and how she had to change managers to find someone who supports her vision of holding fame at an arms length. You can read the whole thing here. I find her so impressive and self-aware. It makes me not even want to say anything about her dress. That’s power, folks.
I’ve heard one of her new songs, does anyone know if the rest of the album is good?
If she hired a stylist that understood her desire to not be a stick, then she’d be awesome.
My husband and I are childfree ourselves, and it’s really nice to hear someone like Kelly Clarkson (who is generally widely admired) speak about the fact that some women don’t want to be a mother, and that’s okay.
She shouldn’t call it “selfish”, though: wanting to devote yourself more completely to your work (or your art, or your companion animals, or whatever) rather than having to worry about raising children isn’t selfish. I think it would be more selfish to have children without truly thinking about it, and then either a) really regret it, taking it out on them, or b) be unable to give them as much time and attention as they need.
And before someone misconstrues this, yes, I am totally, totally aware that you can be a parent and have a career at the same time. But obviously, you cannot be quite as devoted to one if you are having to deal with the other.
I agree. When I say I don’t want children, people look at me like I have two heads. The reality is that some people are not wired for parenthood-cough-my parents-cough and recognizing that takes great forethought.
Yeah, I absolutely agree with both of you. I actually don’t understand why this isn’t mainstream yet. Also, I think it depends on where you live, too. So when people in your area look at you like you have 2 heads, just remember people in my part of the world are supporting you and doing the same thing :)
I agree with the not-selfish thing, Canaduck.
I think it’s more selfish to have a ton of children that the world can’t support, via Octomom and over population
i listened to a preview of her album. And I didn’t like it…
I loved her Breakaway Album! But since My December I haven’t been interested in her music.
Yay. I love Kelly Clarkson. Her Breakaway album was the first cd i ever bought on my own (all of my other cd’s back then were ones other people got for me). I love love love her.
Oh kelly, as soon as a willing stallion comes along you will be popping them out like octomom. The album is great by the way.
Nothing is more sad than a fat chick with absolutely no breasts. She is a genetic freak.
Please call the charity 1-800-Fat-Chick.
That’s so true.. The only good thing about a chubby chick are the tits or the fact that they give good head.. bring on the hate mail
I kind of like it
I agree partially. I would be less harsh and say a benefit of being chubby is larger breasts. Having the fat and no breasts is the worst of both worlds.
And then you get the people who look at women who want children and want to stay at home like they’re useless people. I’ve mentioned how I would love to just be a housewife before, and have gotten so much shit for saying it. It’s like with women finally get rights but now it’s like we HAVE to go to school and be 9-5 workers or “we’ll regret it forever”. So there can be no happy medium really… it makes me so angry. I say I want to stay at home and people tell me that I’m wasting my intelligence.
100% agree. And a good summation of this is Julia Stile’s speech in the movie Mona Lisa Smile.
On the other hand, women who have children simply because they feel they ‘should’ or to satisfy their own parents are not doing the best thing for themselves or there kids.
Have ’em if you want ’em, don’t if you don’t!
It just bothers me that all the ‘adults’ in my life (i’m 18) insist that because i’m 18 i don’t know what I want, and because THEY regret not going to college and having 9-5’s that I will. I’m engaged and they all think its way too young… i just wish that i could go BACK to the 50s so nobody would bother me. Its my life and if I’m making a mistake (i’m not) it’s MY mistake to make and people should let me make it.
I’m glad I didn’t get attacked on here for having my very unusual opinion, it happens enough as it is.
I went to uni because other people wanted me to, and as much as I have quit being a lawyer, which is what I studied, because I moved to a country that did not accept my qualifications, I am kinda glad I have a fall back plan. I fully intend to be a stay at home Mum and do the rest of the work I do from home for the rest of my days BUT if my fiance is killed or we break up or he becomes disabled and can’t work, I can still earn enough to keep my family together.
I would do anything to move back in time to where my only role was to cook and clean. But as my very modern mother said “you don’t have to like work, you just have to go.”
I have never had a desire to have children. I like my life as quiet and stress-free as possible. However, I am worried that if we don’t have children, there won’t be anyone to take care of me when I’m old (you can pay someone to take care of you, but you can’t pay someone to love you). But I don’t know if that’s really a good enough reason to have a child! Maybe if I could just skip straight to age 10?
I’m glad that women can now have both a career and children if they wish… but I see pregnant women having to work almost until their due date and they are miserable. I’d want to stay home through the entire pregnancy, but that is socially and financially unacceptable these days.
There are no guarantees that your kids would look after you in your old age either.
I have two kids and couldn’t imagine life without them despite them making me want to rip my hair out most days. But, kids aren’t for everyone and nothing’s worse than having kids because you think you should or because it’s the thing to do.
There are no guarantees that your kids would take care of you in your old age either.