If I see one more Facebook status or blog post about how much the author hates all children, I might just lose my mind completely. It's perfectly normal to not want children of your own. Your reasons are no one else's business, but if you constantly proclaim to social media the reasons why you hate children in general, you're kind of a horrible person. Here are five of the most common reasons why people hate children and why it's not acceptable.

1. They're sticky, messy, and gross.

The most common reason I see for hating children is that they are often sticky, snotty, and just gross in general. I'm not going to try to sugar-coat this: Children are, in fact, prone to being messy. But imagine what your childhood would have been like if your mom had never let you play outside in the mud, dig your hands into Play-Doh or finger paint, or if she said "Eeeewwww" and walked away every time you needed her to help wipe your nose. That doesn't sound like a very fun life for a kid, so the next time you complain about someone else's child being gross or sticky, remember that time you were an adventurous little squirt who wanted to explore.

Also, remember that time you were wasted at a party and halfway missed the toilet when you had to throw up all the beer you drank?

When it comes to levels of nasty, I'd rather wipe my kid's sticky hands than hold back your vomit-encrusted hair.

2. They're loud.

We've all been there, standing in line at Walmart or sitting at a restaurant, and someone's baby is inconsolable. You cringe and silently swear at the parents, wondering why they don't just take the kid home and stop ruining your day.

But not that long ago, you were your mother's pain. When you were a baby, your parents likely planned a date night and decided to go out even though the sitter bailed at the last minute. You probably cried the entire time because you were uncomfortable, unhappy, or your favorite episode of Bob the Builder was nowhere in sight. You were once that wailing kid, so complaining about them now makes you a hypocrite.

Also, remember that time you were at a restaurant and they had a TV showing your team's big game? It was a normal, delightful evening for everyone until you jumped off your stool, raised your fists in the air, and yelled "WOOOOO!!! Yeeeaahhhh!!"

I'd rather hear a baby cry than listen to you, an adult, publicly make a ruckus because your team scored a touchdown. At least the baby is crying for a good reason.

3. They're needy.

All children, especially under the age of 8, are needy. But they're needy for obvious and important reasons. They need to be fed, bathed, educated, and loved because they are literally incapable of doing those things for themselves. They don't learn to read by osmosis. And they can't wait until their growth spurt to be able to reach the Cheez-Its on the pantry shelf. (Cheez-Its are a human right, for god's sake.)

Also, remember that time you begged your significant other to go get you Taco Bell even though were you perfectly capable of driving yourself? It was a quesadilla emergency that could not be ignored. You were starving, didn't feel like getting out of your pajamas, and last night's leftovers just weren't going to cut it.

You're lucky they love you.

4. They ask too many questions.

If you've got small children in your family and have ever spent any time around them, then you know exactly what I'm talking about. Here are some of the questions my own daughter has asked me, rapid-fire before I even had a chance to Google any of them:

"What are clouds made of? Why is the moon orange sometimes? Why is blood red? Why do the veins in my wrist look green? What is dirt made of? How does gas make cars go? Why are the moon and the sun out at the same time? Why can't dogs see color? Why won't you let me ride our dog like a horse? Why is bird poop white? Why can't dogs talk? Can dogs understand what we say? How does the flu shot work?"

All of the sudden, difficult questions are enough to induce a migraine, but that's how kids learn. And if a kid never asks questions, they might be an alien who already has all the answers and was sent here to surveil us.

Also, chances are good that you've had a million questions at least once in your life before. We've all been stuck in a required class, whether in high school or college, where we struggled because the subject wasn't one of our strong ones. At 18, you were just struggling with algebra. At 8, kids are struggling with life. They're trying to make sense of the world around them just like you were trying to make sense of the quadratic formula.

5. They're too touchy-feely.

Not everyone likes to be touched by strangers, whether it's an acquaintance trying to bring it in for a pre-mature hug or someone just out of the bathroom initiating a friendly handshake. It's totally normal to dislike and avoid physical contact with people you're not comfortable with yet. So when your friend introduces their 5-year-old and suddenly he's got his tiny arms wrapped around your knees, you don't know how to react. And you know what? That's OK, but don't hate kids for that. Up until that point, the only way they've learned to show love and friendliness is from their parents, and parents are notorious for hugging their kids. It's kind of our thing. That's why when you see a couple of 5-year-olds greeting each other at daycare, they don't shake hands or say "Hey! How was your weekend?" They say hello by giving each other a big, sloppy hug. They haven't picked up on the intricate social rules that we've put into place between adults. All they know is that hugs = "I like you." So when a little one tries to hug you, just remember that that hug is their way of saying they really like you and want to be your friend.