I'm still not 100% sure I'll never want kids, but that doesn't mean I haven't already decided not to ever have them. The tipping point was when I finally realized that being significantly uncertain is, in itself, a good reason not to have children.

I grew up being told by society that the rule was "everyone should have kids unless they're 100% sure they don't want any", but I realized that I the opposite makes way more sense. It's an 18+ year full-time job that will absolutely ruin your life if it's not for you. Who the fuck commits to something that major without being at least 90% sure about it?!

The worst-case scenario for me as a childfree person is that I change my mind and don't get to have something I want. Big deal! I'm perfectly capable of coping and finding happiness without having my entire Life Plan go exactly perfectly - god knows it's already happened a few times, as I'm sure is the case for most people. It's obvious that people are totally able to thrive and be happy after divorce, disability, being born the wrong sex, going through an abusive childhood, developing a chronic disease, etc. Compared to other major aspects of life, we just happen to make an unnecessarily huge deal about getting family planning perfectly right, and I choose not to share that unhealthy attitude.

And besides, even if I did regret it and it did make me unhappy, at least I'd be the only one to suffer for my mistake. Since, you know, the alternative mistake involves ruining other people's lives by bringing them into a shitty, loveless, resentful family. The fact that people think that's in any way acceptable just blows my mind.