I’ve heard it dozens of times, from dozens of different people; “You’ll want kids when you’re older.” The thing is though, I probably won’t. I really and truly don’t want kids, and I absolutely cannot stand when adults chuckle and give me a dismissive eye roll when I tell them so.

Babies are cute; well, for the most part. They look cute when they’re tiny little humans with tiny little hands and feet and noses. They’re cute when they laugh and when they smile. Hell, they’re even kind of cute when they’re throwing a tantrum. To me, though, babies are the cutest when they’re sleeping, because it means that they aren’t crying.

Before any of you think that I hate all children, you’re wrong. There are actually plenty of children I’ve met whose presence I enjoyed; mind you, most of these children I’ve met were around seven or eight years old, so they actually have the ability to have a conversation with me. Nevertheless, most children are funny little humans, and I think it’s because they’re so honest and they’re so naive. However, there are plenty of children who start acting like brats at a really young age as a result of zero discipline from their parents, as well as believing they’re entitled to absolutely everything life has to offer. These children are the ones who end up as the Brock Turners of the world, and we have more than enough of those for one lifetime.

To most people, children are a blessing, and they aren’t wrong. Having a child is like no other experience, and I fully support anyone who has a child or wants one. Lots of women I’ve met have told me that a certain “maternal instinct” kicks in, and it changes you as a person. I can tell you right now, even if my maternal instinct does kick in, I’d rather focus my time, attention and energy on a puppy. Puppies are practically on the same level of cuteness as a baby (except I think puppies are cuter because they’re all fluffy), and they show the same amount of unconditional love that a baby does. The perks of a puppy over a baby, however, is that puppies can walk on their own after six to eight weeks, and they never talk back to you. Ever. It’s like having a baby, but better.

Like I said, I fully support anyone who makes the decision to have a kid. It’s a really cool thing to know that you actually created a person, and you have the power to guide them in the right direction and teach them right from wrong. However, there is a lot of responsibility that comes with raising a child, and there are also a lot of sacrifices you have to make for your kid. Being a parent means that you always need to put your child first, and I don’t know if I’d be able to handle that. As a communications major and an aspiring journalist, I plan on being very successful and having a bunch of once-in-a-lifetime experiences. I plan on working in a career field I enjoy, and I plan on traveling and really focusing on myself. If by any chance I end up getting married and having a child down the road, I’ll worry about that when I get to it; as of right now, though, I don’t see any mini-me’s in my future, and I am 100% okay with that.