I don’t want kids and for some reason, the world has a serious problem with that.

My dad always told me that I was the only child who hated other children. Even though I deeply loved and cared for my American Girl doll, I would tell my parents that I was never going to have children of my own. Even at eight years old. I felt bad for them since I am an only child and was their only hope for grandchildren, but my parents were never the kind of people to impose ideals on me so they never objected.

But when I tell anyone who is not one of my parents that I am never going to be a mom, I get a ringer of questions that usually starts with, “You’ll change your mind one day.” Along with, “Why not?” Here’s the thing aunts, uncles and peers, that isn’t any of your business, but I’ll tell you them anyways.

1. Honestly, I just really don’t like children. People seem to be shocked that there are people in the world who do not find babies appealing in any way, shape or form. Of course sometimes an adorable baby comes along (North West) or a youtube video of a kid doing something kind of funny that I’ll admit to watching, but in general, I find nothing exciting about something that pukes on themselves. Sorry but actually, not really at all.

2. I like money and actually want to spend it on things for myself. Apparently, this is a shocking revelation for some people. When I’m older and have a stable, real paying job, I want to travel the world without having to watch what a child is doing at every second. I want to site see without having to bribe my child into going. I want to spend my money on weekend trips to New York and new makeup from Sephora, not baby food and car seats.

3. I’m not great at commitment. Being tied down to something (other than a romantic relationship) is not for me. I don’t even like airplanes because I’m trapped for 8 hours without the choice of being able to leave. A child is a lifetime commitment and I think that it’s a valid reason to not have a child because I don’t want to be committed to something like that for the rest of my life. Me not wanting a child shouldn’t be shocking, it should be seen as responsible.

Sure, there are benefits to having a child like someone taking care of you when you’re elderly. But, a study said that people who have children are more stressed during the majority of their lifetime than those without. Those people with children were happier at the end of their life, but I’d rather feel the happiness while I can enjoy it. I stress myself out enough without having to worry about something living depending on me (and my wallet) at every second. It really shouldn’t be as crazy as it is to some people that I want to spend my life with myself, the love of my life and some pets along the way.

I’m just as much of a women without wanting to have a child. I do not need to reproduce in order to fulfill my life’s goals and that’s perfectly okay. Please stop policing women into thinking that there is something wrong with them for choosing a lifestyle that isn’t one you would choose for yourself.