"It's just a phase. You'll grow out of it and change your mind."

Whenever someone finds out that I have no interest in having children, they look at me as if I committed murder in cold blood right in front of them.

Then after they have processed the information, they dismiss every word I have said about my lack of desire to procreate, and I am bombarded with comments like:

"Your mom once said that too."

"What do you mean? You have to have kids."

Hold up and stop right there.

I have to have children?

Wrong.

I don't have to do anything.

The last time I checked, the decision to have children was my choice and only my choice.

I grew up in a wonderful household. I am eternally grateful that my parents brought me into this world, and I have the greatest respect for all of the great moms and dads in the world. You guys are awesome.

But personally, the thought of anyone ever referring to me as "mom" makes me cringe. When I see a child in a stroller, I don't notice its cute chubby fingers or its rosy cheeks. I'm too distracted by its sticky fingers, the dried vomit on its face and the overwhelming odor of exhaustion and responsibility.

Never in my life have I had the burning desire to experience parenthood, and to be completely honest, I don't think I ever will.

I do have the burning desire and determination to pursue a career as a journalist, a time consuming and unpredictable job. Having a child is a responsibility that lasts a lifetime, and I am not willing to give up my freedom and independence. Sorry if that sounds selfish, but it's the truth.

I want to be able to see the world, work hard, and stay out all night searching for things to do, like trying every 24-hour fast food restaurant in New York City.

There is definitely a way to accomplish all of these things while being a mom, but I don't want to have to plan my life around someone else, not right now. Being a mom isn't something that you try out; you don't test drive motherhood.

I respect mothers; I really do. I'm not putting anyone down for wanting to have children. But at the end of the day, the ultimate choice is up to her. She's the one who will be home to a child for nine months and a lifetime caregiver.

I think society has forgotten this.

Even at nineteen, people treat me as if I'm some sort of inhumane monster to not want children.

Selfish of me to want to live my life for me, myself, and I. I forgot that I was making decisions for other people. How rude and inconsiderate of me, right?

Apparently, it's completely selfish of me to possess the ability to bear children but not want to take advantage of it. Because I am a woman, society expects me to provide the necessary biological requirements of reproduction and become an incubator for a child.

Why is it so hard to comprehend the fact that I have no desire to experience the "joy of motherhood."

I am just as much of a woman without wanting to have kids. I don't need to reproduce in order to fulfill my life goals, and that is perfectly okay.

Society needs to deal with and accept this. Stop policing women into thinking that there is something wrong with them for choosing a childless lifestyle just because it isn't the life you would choose for yourself.

I'm only nineteen years old, so there is still a chance that I will change my mind, and I have every right to change my mind. I have an entire lifetime ahead of me where the ultimate decision to become a mother is up to me.

Until then, I plan to continue checking off the boxes on my never-ending bucket list, and exercising my right to choose.