Cheerfully Childless: The Humor Book for Those Who Hesitate to Procreate

This was the first of many books I read after my husband and I chose to not have children. The content was light and funny, and most of the book made comparisons between things like soccer games vs. cocktail parties with martinis on Saturdays. It definitely leaned more towards the positives of not having kids, but it wasn't overbearing or offending.

This is a humor book, after all, so it may not be the earth-shattering book that helps you make that crucial decision. That said, I found kernels of truth in the humor that rang true with my feelings on the subject. And there are some parts of the small book that are serious. For instance, on the topic of not having grandchildren someday, I appreciated the following: "Listen - if you even hint that you'd like to babysit a small child - someone young enough to be your grandchild - the parents will have them ensconced in your back bedroom quicker than a fully loaded diaper falls off a toddler. Children are out there by the hundred waiting to bond with someone who will buy them gifts. In later years they'll think fondly of you and visit you almost as often as their real relatives. Maybe more." Right now, I thoroughly enjoy my nieces and nephews and my friends' children. And I enjoy giving them back. This made me realize that the same will be true when I am older. There will always be an abundance of children in the world that need love and attention and encouragement. Notes on the author in back include that she has dabbled in stand-up comedy. This book reads as a stand-up routine, which I enjoyed.

Hubby and I have chosen not to have children and you'd think we'd pledged an alliance with Satan or something! Both of our families have had no problem chastizing us for our very personal decision. Many arguments have ensued over the years for us being the butt of jokes or snide comments on our "selfishness" for not wanting kids. (Hmm, somehow I think actually weighing something as life changing as having children over just jumping into reproduction because it's expected of us makes me think we're NOT being selfish) Cheerfully Childless makes you realize you're not alone and that there are plenty of people out there like us who love children but just don't want our own. There are many funny cartoons and some AWESOME one liners that I've since used and instantly shut up nosey and insensitive people with their remarks. If you have chosen to stay a family of two and want a good reassurance that you're not as self centered as everyone with children says you are, this is the book for you! ;-)

One would think, these days, that hundreds of books addressing this issue would be out there. The subject hits home for untold millions of us. But there's a strange sort of taboo about it, and the touchiness of the politics in choosing to not have children very likely scares off both writers and readers.So a humorous approach is ideal. Ms Metter never ridicules parents; nor does she sanctify the intentional non-parent. She simply provides a current of humor - much of it in Q & A form - to underscore the differences between the two. Best of all are Loretta Gomez' illustrations. There's an odd and appealing duality in her style, an almost childlike aspect blended with real sophistication.CHEERFULLY won't leave you rolling on the carpet and gasping for air between guffaws. But it's a charming and funny treatment whose time has most definitely come.

A lighthearted examination of a serious subject: Should you have kids or not? Ellen lets us know it's perfectly okay to be childfree -- it doesn't mean we're inherently selfish or that we hate kids, it just means that for various reasons we don't want any of our own. Many people will see themselves in her hilarious "self test" with entries such as, "Parenting may not be for you if you think of two or more children gathered in one place as a mob" and "Parenting may not be for you if you refer to the Maternal Instinct as 'you know, that myth.'" Bravo!