Childfree and Minimalist 2

  I am  childfree.

  I decided not to have kids a couple of years after I got married, and it took a couple of more years to confirm my big decision.

  (I got married in 2002)

  I think it took years to realize that there is no answer to life and I am the owner of my life, therefore I don't need to follow other people's opinion.

  I guess I believed there was a one ideal answer to life.

  My picture was like this.

A baby born - nice education - having a job ( 6 figure salary ) - getting married to man/woman with high paying job from good family - having kids ( a girl and a boy, this combination is more ideal ) - raising them with nice education - retirement - dying happily  with my kids and grandchildren's warm care.

  I don't know this would be successful life in another countries but it seems to  be a pretty decent life in Korea.

 However, would it be the answer I have been looking for?
 It looks nice and valuable but I don't want that life. I want more freedom, passion, variety.
 If everyone is guided by same ideal life model, what is the point having our own?

 Not having kids is not that simple idea. It includes one's philosophy, values, lifestyle.

 people often ask " Why do you not have kids? "
 Simple question, but not easy to answer that.

 The "why" makes me feel like " You should do, why do you resist the rule?"
 It was certain that I didn't want any kid. However what make me unsure was the question  that it would be okay to take a different path most people don't. 
I had no role model around me. Everyone got married and had kids and told me you have kids at least one. Furthermore, all the mass communication was telling us child is necessary. Later I found out it was asked by government due to low birth late.

 I started ordering books about child-free from Amazon, as  it wasn't easy for me to find those books in Korea. I also joined some online child-free cafe on a regular basis. As I attended online cafe and met new child-free people and talked with them about life without child and saw them happy,  I've got a courage to live my own way.

Now,  I am happier than ever, and confident of my choice.
I talked to myself  " I love my life." several times in a day.