I have never wanted children, even when I was a young child myself. I just didn’t see the appeal in having children, whether I had them myself or adopted. Of course, there are people who have told me constantly that children are most definitely in my future, and they are absolutely wrong. I personally consider myself a dog mom first and foremost but that is a whole different story. I have always been told the same things over and over when I tell people I don’t want kids: “You are going to have a bunch of kids, because you say 'I don’t want kids'” or “motherhood completes a woman” and even “you’re good with kids so you’d be a good mother”. But for me, none of those ring true. While yes I am good with kids, it doesn’t mean I want children of my own, and motherhood doesn’t complete me as a person. In the words of Jennifer Aniston, “We don’t need to be married or mothers to be complete. We get to determine our own ‘happily ever after’ for ourselves”. Over the years I have noticed that there are a lot of other Millennials who feel exactly like I do on the topic, so here are 11 reasons why millennials and myself don’t want kids:

1. They're not ideal financially.

Honestly, one of the huge reasons I don't see myself having kids in the future is the fact that they are so expensive. Kids cost parents thousands of dollars over the years before the kid hits the age of 18, and college is also a reality to that increased debt. Plus, I will be drowning in my own student debt, why add another persons to the mix?

2. Population Problems.

This is another factor that also really hits home with my reasoning. There are already so many people on this Earth and I don't feel like I should help contribute to that population problem. And even if I wanted kids (which I do not), I would rather adopt. There are so many children in orphanages that never get adopted and never get a chance to feel loved and accepted.

3. The world isn't as nice as it seems.

As history and recent events have shown us, the world is not a nice place. There is so much wrong and bad going on that I wouldn't feel comfortable bringing a kid into this mess. If it isn't bullying at school, it's horrible acts going on around the world. I wouldn't want my children to see that every day of their lives.

4. TRAVEL. TRAVEL. TRAVEL.

I would love to travel the world. I want to see every country on my bucket list (it's a very long list by the way) and then some. I want to experience all the world has to offer at anytime that I want to. But once you bring a child into this, you can't exactly just hop on a plane and fly to Australia for the week. Personally, that is all I want to be do as I get older.

5. The pains and trails of pregnancy.

The idea of pregnancy and going through pregnancy scare the crap out of me. I don't think I could go through one contraction much less hours of hard and intense labor. The idea of pushing something out of you freaks me out monumentally. I don't want to or even think I could, in a way, mess up my body going through that pain.

6. The fear of being a horrible parent.

I have learned over the years of nannying and babysitting kids, that kids seem to be drawn to me. Whether they want to tell me a story about their pet rabbit or a story they made up entirely, kids seems to enjoy my company. I can say honestly that the feeling is not mutual. I don't enjoy kids' company but I find them off putting. That right there is the reason I think I would be a horrible parent. The word horrible might be too harsh but I seriously feel that way. Becoming a parent adds the pressure to always be perfect and be some great role model for this child and personally I don't think I can do that. I seriously think I might mess that kid up.

7. Career Ambitions.

Millennials really prefer their careers to starting a family. Honestly I can't blame them. We put all this time and effort into more schooling after high school so we can have the career we have always wanted and to be able to switch that career whenever we want too. Our career ambitions are very high and we can't exactly stay at the office until three in the morning or do doctors without borders if we have a two-year-old attached to our hips.

8. Not every lifestyle fits children.

Every person wants different things from their lives and with these wants of different things comes different lifestyles. Every lifestyle is so different. Of course not every lifestyle can fit a child into it and that is totally okay.

9. Passing down mental illnesses (or any illness).

There are so many possible illnesses in the world and some or even a lot of those possibilities could be within your family tree. I would hate to pass down something to my child that could harm them in any way or make their life any more difficult than it should be. I wouldn't want to see them go through that.

10. Fertility issues.

Sometimes the deal with kids is not that you don't want them. It is that you can't have them. But the beauty, and also a silver lining, to this reason is that this is truly where adoption comes into play. Even a surrogate or sperm/egg donations as well. But honestly, adopt if this is your situation. There are hundreds of children out there both in the US and outside the US looking for caring and loving homes.

11. No reason should EVER be necessary

And the final reason is that there shouldn't be any need for a reason at all. I don't need to justify any of my reasoning behind not wanting kids, or even wanting kids, with anyone. It is my body, my life and therefore my choice. Of course this could all change but for the time being, my future doesn't hold children in that big picture. I don't have to show or tell others why that is. So when I tell people I don't want kids, don't tell me otherwise that I will end up having kids or changing my mind, because I won't. By saying that, you are undermining my life choices and that is 10000x more not okay than it is "not okay" for me not to have kids. Children don't make me complete. I make myself complete.