| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3 4 5 6 7] > | Poll: How many kids do you have? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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Irene N
United States
Local time: 21:15
English to Russian
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| None by choice | Sep 17, 2006 |
Rita Schmit wrote: a children hater ... I felt sorry for him 
Dear Rita,
I'm very-very happy for you. My most sincere and best wishes to all your kids and family, but... your attitude is no better from the other end. Please, no one is allowed to feel sorry for me in public (and I suspect I'll be joined in it by a couple more people here who do not have children by choice). And we (the childless people) are not child haters.
Stay well,
Irene
| | | | | But what about pets? | Sep 17, 2006 |
We have two lovely kids (we still see them as our babies), one Alexandra now 23 yrs and Andrea 18 yrs (next sep 20) and they joined us in the last powwow, that close we are! Those of you who dont have one, or cannot have, try adoption, this has been the experience of two couples very close to us, and they, as us, value every moment we experienced.
On the other hand, I suggest a poll on pets, we have 3 Schnauzzer's (father 15 yrs old and still barking around, 1st. son 6 yrs old (the... See more We have two lovely kids (we still see them as our babies), one Alexandra now 23 yrs and Andrea 18 yrs (next sep 20) and they joined us in the last powwow, that close we are! Those of you who dont have one, or cannot have, try adoption, this has been the experience of two couples very close to us, and they, as us, value every moment we experienced.
On the other hand, I suggest a poll on pets, we have 3 Schnauzzer's (father 15 yrs old and still barking around, 1st. son 6 yrs old (the quiet one) and the last (but larger) one just 2 yrs old). ▲ Collapse
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And her name is also Pamela (11), her father's wish.
She was 2 years old when we returned to Peru after living in the U.S. for ten years. We started attending school three days after coming home. She started going to kindergarten, of course, and after a week there one day she came home and started talking Spanish to me with such fluency for a 2 years old that I literally stood there with my mouth open, and I remember thinking, did she always speak this well?
Now that she’s 11, so... See more And her name is also Pamela (11), her father's wish.
She was 2 years old when we returned to Peru after living in the U.S. for ten years. We started attending school three days after coming home. She started going to kindergarten, of course, and after a week there one day she came home and started talking Spanish to me with such fluency for a 2 years old that I literally stood there with my mouth open, and I remember thinking, did she always speak this well?
Now that she’s 11, sometimes she finishes my sentences when I don’t remember the word in Spanish
Once I heard that children make you a better person. In my case, I find that statement to be very true. ▲ Collapse
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77 posts about having children!!! (finally have you found a place to talk about...-))
Anyway, good for you! (I'm happy for you too)
Cheers
Sergio
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| Three, and holding | Sep 17, 2006 |
Dante Rosario (4)
Sebastian Carrol (5 months)
Tillman James (5 months)
I think three is where we stop, if only because of the pattern. First one child, then twins, and I just don't think I have enough arms for triplets.
I consider myself a fairly practical businessman, but I see tremendous value in these 'off-topic' polls. I have and will meet many of you at powwows, and this kind of information is an immediate icebreaker and conversation starter--and if tha... See more Dante Rosario (4)
Sebastian Carrol (5 months)
Tillman James (5 months)
I think three is where we stop, if only because of the pattern. First one child, then twins, and I just don't think I have enough arms for triplets.
I consider myself a fairly practical businessman, but I see tremendous value in these 'off-topic' polls. I have and will meet many of you at powwows, and this kind of information is an immediate icebreaker and conversation starter--and if that's not an aid to networking, I don't know what is.
Cheers to you all,
Steven
[Edited at 2006-09-17 23:12] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Aurora Humarán (X) 
Argentina
Local time: 23:15
English to Spanish
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| Couldn't agree more (a bit off-topic, but...) | Sep 17, 2006 |
Steven Sidore wrote:
I see tremendous value in these 'off-topic' polls. I have and will meet of you at powwows, and this kind of information is an immediate icebreaker and conversation starter--and if that's not an aid to networking, I don't know what is.
Steven
In general, I love these polls (I usually pay no attention to the ones that deal with technology...yes, shame on me, I know). I was wondering how come some people don't value this 'soft' part of life. But then I realized that I was trying to have everybody think in the same way as I see the world, which is wrong.
Now going back to these 'soft' things, a former boss I had at Reynolds said that he had closed the best negotiations... in the shower! (after playing tennis with his clients.) Those cold and formal dinners had proved (to him) to be less 'profitable' than the relaxed part of things.
I don't know if these polls will serve a business purpose or not. (If they do, much better!) I do not participate with that objective in mind. I just enjoy them. Many times I find myself laughing in front of the PC and they have given me the opportunity to meet other people I wouldn't have met otherwise (in the SF or in the KudoZ arena.)
Some people think they are useless... fine! My best friend loves Brad Pitt and I would ***kill*** to have dinner with Al Pacino.
The world is full of differences. After all, we translators exist because differences exist.
Au
[Edited at 2006-09-17 17:58]
| | | | Steven Capsuto
United States
Local time: 22:15
Member (2004)
Spanish to English
+ ...
lexical wrote:No, asking how many children people have is not a "tool for networking" (even if the question were asked grammatically). How about a poll asking what colour people's bathrooms are? Is that networking?
My bathroom is white. It seldom bothers me while I'm working.
| | | | | I agree with you | Sep 17, 2006 |
no one is allowed to feel sorry for me in public (and I suspect I'll be joined in it by a couple more people here who do not have children by choice). And we (the childless people) are not child haters.
I feel that children are a vocation not to take lightly, and I have made the conscious decision that it was definitely not a choice of life for me. I would not want people to feel sorry for me, because it's a choice. Therefore I say childfree, as opposed to childless (that implies something is missing). Still, I admire people who have kids and dedicate themselves to raise valuable members to society.
I prefer to be a cool auntie who spoils her nieces and nephews rotten and has no discipline whatsoever, and to fill them up with sugar and give them back to the parents at the end of the day!
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Nina Khmielnitzky wrote: I feel that children are a vocation not to take lightly, and I have made the conscious decision that it was definitely not a choice of life for me. I would not want people to feel sorry for me, because it's a choice. Therefore I say childfree, as opposed to childless (that implies something is missing). Still, I admire people who have kids and dedicate themselves to raise valuable members to society. I prefer to be a cool auntie who spoils her nieces and nephews rotten and has no discipline whatsoever, and to fill them up with sugar and give them back to the parents at the end of the day!
I totally agree. For me it would be either all or nothing. I once worked as an au pair and to put it mildly the kids were totaly "f***ed up", highly probably because their parents never spent any time with them.
The 5-year-old was still not potty-trained, so his psychiatrist(!) mum's solution was to threaten him with "until you learn not to poo your pants, you are not going to infant school" - great one, mum - intimidate the kid and you'll only aggravate the problem. Subsequently, the poor tyke was forced to walk around the house without his underwear all day. The 7-year-old had a problem with kicking and biting (oh yes, and the 5-year-old used to swear a lot) and the 8-year-old was in psychotherapy.
This is basically what I mean by all or nothing. How many times have I been asked whether or not I want to have kids. And people gasped in disbelief when I said no because for them it seemed to be the natural progression. This I find really offensive. The thing is how the hell do you know whether or not you would like to have kids unless you are in the right partnership? It's not like deciding that you want a dog and then going out to the pet shop to get one, is it? Besides which how many dogs are abandoned at Christmas? It's something you have to be serious about.
Call me selfish if you will, but at this moment in time I can't imagine giving up my career for kids, but then hey at least I am honest, and this is probably better in the long run (case in point above!)
The thing is I am gonna be an auntie hopefully at the end of January, and that is enough for me because I am not really much of a family person (leave that up to my sister) and probably never will be. I like kids and like goofing around with them, but I just don't think I'm cut out to be a mother.
I thought I'd also describe what it's like on the other side.
Sarah
| | | | | I think Rita's comment was misunderstood. | Sep 17, 2006 |
Please forgive me for "butting in," but I think some feelings have been hurt unnecessarily, and I hate to see that. In the interest of peace:
IreneN wrote: Rita Schmit wrote: a children hater ... I felt sorry for him Dear Rita, I'm very-very happy for you. My most sincere and best wishes to all your kids and family, but... your attitude is no better from the other end. Please, no one is allowed to feel sorry for me in public (and I suspect I'll be joined in it by a couple more people here who do not have children by choice). And we (the childless people) are not child haters. Stay well, Irene
Irene and Nina, please notice what Rita wrote--in context:
Rita Schmit wrote:
I was once asked by a children hater on the street whether I had "other hobbies" besides making children. I decided to take it as a joke but I felt sorry for him
Having children is a choice and no woman should feel guilty if she decides for herself not to have any. You can live a perfectly happy life without raising children and the choice to have or not to have children should be respected by everybody.
She didn't call those who choose not to have children "child haters." She used that label on the person who made a very crass comment. Perhaps she had further evidence of the person's "child-hater" status; I don't know.
But she also spoke of respect for the choice to have or not to have children--a respect that I share with all my heart. The subject is close to home for me, as my single-and-childless daughter is a bilingual kindergarten teacher. She's a wonderful influence on hundreds of kids! I, on the other hand, would break into a cold sweat if left in charge of more than 4 small kids at a time.
We are who and what we are. We try to make the best choices for our own lives. For many, that's having children; for others, it's not having children. Sometimes we make one choice and life gives us a surprise!
| | | | | OK, I'm a little late... but, | Sep 17, 2006 |
here's my kid: Liam, 15 months old. Look at that smile!
[Edited at 2006-09-17 20:39]
| | | | yam2u
United States
Member
English to Malay
+ ...
| Also not a parent... | Sep 17, 2006 |
...by choice.
I'm sure having children is a wonderful thing for many people. The joy and pride exuding from the many posts here is testament to that. I love reading this poll and my kudos to all colleagues who are parents!
Like a few posters here, my husband and I agreed that parenting is not something to embark into lightly. We took a dispassionate look at ourselves when we got together and concluded w... See more ...by choice.
I'm sure having children is a wonderful thing for many people. The joy and pride exuding from the many posts here is testament to that. I love reading this poll and my kudos to all colleagues who are parents!
Like a few posters here, my husband and I agreed that parenting is not something to embark into lightly. We took a dispassionate look at ourselves when we got together and concluded we're not cut out to be parents. After ten years we still haven't changed our minds.
-may- ▲ Collapse
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Clare Barnes
Sweden
Local time: 04:15
Swedish to English
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| Little late here too, but | Sep 17, 2006 |
...one son, Mikael, aged "almost ten".
I have no children with my partner (who I've been with since my son was two) and that is a decision that both of us made, basically because he simply doesn't want to be a dad and I'm quite happy as we are. He is a fantastic step-dad, but just doesn't have the urge to further his genes - so I can understand both sides of the child-free/child discussion that has being going on here - particularly when faced by people who imply that I am disadvan... See more ...one son, Mikael, aged "almost ten".
I have no children with my partner (who I've been with since my son was two) and that is a decision that both of us made, basically because he simply doesn't want to be a dad and I'm quite happy as we are. He is a fantastic step-dad, but just doesn't have the urge to further his genes - so I can understand both sides of the child-free/child discussion that has being going on here - particularly when faced by people who imply that I am disadvantaging my son by not providing him with siblings (grrrr). On the other hand, we're still relatively young (early 30s) so I imagine we have time to change our minds! ▲ Collapse
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Despite I come from a big family, I don't have kids. I have 3 brothers and 2 sisters, and 8 nieces and 8 nephews. Three of them live with me. In addition, I spend all my money in them.
So I don't feel alone.
| | | | Irene N
United States
Local time: 21:15
English to Russian
+ ...
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