{"id":1728,"date":"2021-08-26T21:18:15","date_gmt":"2021-08-27T01:18:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/resolve.org\/learn\/what-are-my-options\/living-without-children\/"},"modified":"2025-05-12T14:44:15","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T18:44:15","slug":"living-without-children","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/resolve.org\/get-help\/helpful-advice\/living-without-children\/","title":{"rendered":"Living Without Children"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t

Navigating the emotional journey toward accepting a life without children often involves going through the process of grieving<\/a>. For those who have struggled with infertility, childlessness is a difficult outcome to conceptualize. It is not a choice. It is not a resolution. It is a loss of the life you imagined you would experience. Many of those who have faced infertility resulting in childlessness often feel depressed, and their feelings are often ignored, overlooked, and especially not understood. This is because of the incorrect assumption many people make that those who are living childfree are doing so willingly.<\/p>\n

Many people, especially women, connect their value and worth in womanhood with the ability to become a biological mother. As society esteems and rewards those who have children, often ignoring and dismissing those who are childless not by choice. However, it is precisely this step in the direction of another path that one must take when moving toward resolution<\/a>.<\/p>\n

When you are beginning the process of coming to terms with living without children, you may want to consider finding support<\/a> with like-minded individuals, giving your spouse and yourself the space to grow<\/a> and feel these feelings. It may also be a good idea to look into resources that can help you develop coping strategies<\/a> so that you can build resilience and nurture your emotional wellbeing.<\/p>\n

Note:<\/h4>\n

We are sensitive to using the terms childfree versus childless. The term childfree is mostly used on this resource page, according to the results of a recent survey administered by Tutum Global<\/a>. Over 400 childless not by choice women (CNBC) were asked about their preferred terminology, using question-wording: If you are CNBC, do you prefer childless or childfree?<\/p>\n

Results showed that 55% preferred childfree and 45% preferred childless While the results were significantly close, they also provided valuable information on how we can earnestly attempt to use the term that is most acceptable to the group being described.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Personal Story: A Family of Two<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t

Just as my experience with infertility was a journey, so too is the decision to live our life without children of our own. Here is how we became a family of two<\/p>\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Personal Story: Infertility Changed Me<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t

The last 24 years have been a journey. Infertility changed me in ways I never imagined. I look at myself and the world through a different lens now.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Living without Children Myths and Facts<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t

If you are in the fact-finding stage, read on as we debunk common living without children myths and break down the facts.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Personal Story: #MyInfertilityStory<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t

Infertility has taught me that sometimes you must let go of the life that you hoped for and trust in the life that is. Read more about this #MyInfertilityStory.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Navigating Your Life: Childless and Childfree Life After Infertility<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t

RESOLVE reached out to 6 different people in our community to get their thoughts and feelings on what it was like navigating a childfree life after infertility. Here’s what they had to say:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Personal Story: #WeCanAll Live Beautiful Lives: Infertility Doesn’t Change That<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t

WeCanAll live beautiful lives: infertility doesn’t change that. Take up the space you deserve because life, regardless of the outcome, can be beautiful.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Personal Story: #WeCanAll Support Those Childless by Infertility<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t

Over the past eight years, I have not only accepted being childless not by choice, but I have embraced it – committed to redefining childlessness.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Video: The Many Perspectives of Living Without Children<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t

There are many women and men who are living in silence without support, without hearing the stories of others who have resolved to live without children. Watch this video here.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

What Does Resolution Involve?<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t

In accepting a life without children, you learn to live your life looking forward rather than looking back. With emotional resolution, you can look forward to life beyond childlessness with happiness, content, peace, and acceptance.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/a>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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