"I've always wanted to be a mom." Seriously?

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irishwhistle
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18 Sep 2008, 1:58 pm

I am a mom, mind you. I am not sorry I am one. I think I stink at it, but I also think they'll get over it, and I try to do my best, and what more can you do? It's a lot better and worse than I expected. The usual. And I still draw and write and use my mind so that when time permits I can continue my stuff, and when they're older I can do still more of it.

But I have been hearing from time to time women saying they've always wanted to be moms ever since they were little. I remember my college roommates saying they used to plan their perfect wedding as girls, and I can only assume those are the ones who always wanted to be moms. I just chalked it down to being at a Christian college, in my Church we tend to run into that sort of thing more. And that's fine for them I guess, but I thought it was odd. I never did that. So when I started hearing more recently the phrase "I've always wanted to be a mom," I was really puzzled. This was just from women on one of those TV nanny shows. And it was more than one. I asked my husband what kind of nut job spends her childhood dreaming of having children of her own and he said he thought that was probably normal.

Well, I don't understand this. He's NT but he's, well, a dude, so he doesn't necessarily know this for sure. Is it an NT thing? Or did I never dream with anticipation of such a huge responsibility because I'm a youngest with and overwhelmed mom who had 9 kids, and there was just no glamour in that? In thinking it over, I never played dolls in the way my daughters do, tending and feeding and the like. I liked the functional miniatures dolls sometimes had and setting them up in miniature arrangements like the real thing. I still collect the nice ones... But I never played baby dolls that I can remember.

But I used to dream of being a writer, artist, ballerina, archaeologist, and dozens of fascinating and exciting careers. I dreamed of meeting my soul mate. But never, ever did I want to be a mom. I dreaded the idea for a long time. And one day I decided to, I'm glad to say. Felt right at the time and turns out it was.

Did any Aspies here always want to be parents?


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flutter
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18 Sep 2008, 2:13 pm

I feel an obligation to pass on my genes.

Simply because I think Genes are the property of the species, not the individual.

But would I make a good parent?

I don't know.... I'd try to be nurturing, and I suppose I'd do pretty good at pieces of it, but I have a tendency to assume knowledge in others, and that would probably be detrimental trying to raise a kid.

I do a great job with my nephew, but I only have to deal with him for a day or a weekend at a time, the day in/day out would wear me down fast.

I can definately say I haven't always wanted to be a parent, and that I don't want to be one now, but that I would happily give my sperm to a happy lesbian couple who wanted a child. (While I still have sperm to give).

I would foster older kids, in fact thats kind of the ultimate goal, to foster LGBTQ kids who are in bad family situations to show them that life can be normal. Give them a safe place to flourish and take off from without being shoved in the closet...etc....etc....etc...



CityAsylum
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18 Sep 2008, 2:15 pm

irishwhistle wrote:
Did any Aspies here always want to be parents?

Nope, I always swore I would never have kids. Now that you mention it, I realize that I never fantasized about it for even a moment as a child, or even as a young adult.

Once I actually decided to have them it was more of an intellectual decision than an emotional one.

Now that have 2 kids, I'm glad I did, even though it's the toughest job there is, as any parent can tell you. I'm completely fine with it, though - possibly it is easier because I DIDN'T fantasize about it, and maybe that's an Aspie thing.



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18 Sep 2008, 2:21 pm

I always wanted to be a Dad, but my idea of "daddy-ness" came from sitcoms from the late 1950s and early 1960s where father knew best, and everyone made room for daddy. I always wanted to be the wise patriarch who could solve the worst cases of childhood, teenage, and spousal angst in 30 minutes with time out for commericals. I also wanted a wife who greeted me at the door dressed like she was ready for a date, with dinner ready and on the table, and who was always gentle and respectful whenever she corrected me. I wanted my kids to be just like those in the Anderson, Cleaver, Lawrence, Nelson, and Williams families - just rebellious enough to think for themselves, yet respectful enough to admit that they were wrong.

... stupid sitcoms ... nothing at all like real life ...


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Postperson
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18 Sep 2008, 2:48 pm

I decided not to have kids when I was about 13. I'm happy with that.



lionesss
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18 Sep 2008, 3:10 pm

Actually I did want to have kids even from a young age.. and I admit I thought it was all fun and games (boy I certainly was in another world) but now that I have 2, its far from fun and games. And after having my son who was an exceptionally difficult baby (he is under the spectrum) I had my tubes tied and don't regret it at all. But am I glad I had my kids, definitely! It was nice to have the freedom before I had the kids but I wouldn't trade these times for those times in the world. Funny thing is, my daughter is only 6 and she has already told me that she wants to be a mom. I told her to NOT RUSH INTO IT AND TO ENJOY HER YOUTH LOL! :lol:


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rushfanatic
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18 Sep 2008, 3:12 pm

I married at age 19.Became a mom at 21, have raised 4 children ..It was something that felt so overwhelming, so challenging, and yet, so natural and comforting to me.



Last edited by rushfanatic on 18 Sep 2008, 3:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.

DevonB
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18 Sep 2008, 3:24 pm

I always wanted to have kids. It was just a given. As a teenager, and into my twenties I wanted children. Yes, having them has been difficult at times, and extremely challenging, but for me it is something that I love. I would have had more if the situation had been right. However, I'm glad that I have my two boys.

I always wanted to foster children as well. Now, as I grow older I don't know if I would do it anymore. I enjoy the free time that has developed as my kids have grown older. I guess I'm selfish that way.

I suppose it's very individual. I am lucky to have the kids that I have, and they know that Mum is different and also gay. They are good kids, and I wouldn't change it for the world.



rushfanatic
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18 Sep 2008, 3:40 pm

DevonB wrote:
I always wanted to have kids. It was just a given. As a teenager, and into my twenties I wanted children. Yes, having them has been difficult at times, and extremely challenging, but for me it is something that I love. I would have had more if the situation had been right. However, I'm glad that I have my two boys.

I always wanted to foster children as well. Now, as I grow older I don't know if I would do it anymore. I enjoy the free time that has developed as my kids have grown older. I guess I'm selfish that way.

I suppose it's very individual. I am lucky to have the kids that I have, and they know that Mum is different and also gay. They are good kids, and I wouldn't change it for the world.
Dear DevonB ,Bless your heart, Motherhood has served you and your children well.. :D



Last edited by rushfanatic on 18 Sep 2008, 3:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.

pbcoll
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18 Sep 2008, 3:40 pm

I didn't particularly want to have kids (I didn't find the idea revolting, just didn't care for it, and certainly didn't fantasise about it) until I was about 18, ever since I do want to have kids, and I find it's an urge that gets stronger with time, it's stronger than the urge to get married, for example.
I think that most young males don't give it much thought either way, and most young females do, if not fantasise about motherhood, at least expect it.


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lionesss
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18 Sep 2008, 3:58 pm

DevonB wrote:
I always wanted to foster children as well. Now, as I grow older I don't know if I would do it anymore. I enjoy the free time that has developed as my kids have grown older. I guess I'm selfish that way.



No its not selfish, you need your time. When my kids are older I plan on doing more traveling and I admit I am looking forward to having more free time once my kids are older. As they age you encounter new challenges as old ones die but my gosh.. ANYTHING is better than dealing with colic, teething, 2am feedings, you get the idea.


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claire-333
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18 Sep 2008, 5:25 pm

I never wanted to be a mom when I was young. In fact, I could never even understand other kid's desire to grow up. They would say...I cannot wait until I'm sixteen...I cannot wait until I'm eighteen...I cannot wait until I am twenty-one. I could have stayed a teenager living with my parents for the rest of my life. I somehow knew growing up was not going to be as great as my peers thought it would be. I knew I had it easy being a kid and wanted to stay that way.



patternist
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18 Sep 2008, 6:46 pm

Oh . I always swore up and down I would never have kids. And now that I do, I feel that I am terrible at it.



grinningcat
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18 Sep 2008, 6:47 pm

I don't understand the appeal of human babies/children, not even when I was a little girl. I knew girls who did nothing BUT fantasize about being a wife (pouring for hours over those bride magazines) and a mother, and I just wondered, is that all there is? I feel perpetually at odds when there is an infant wheeled in to the office - all the other women seem to squeal and squeak about how cute, and dontchajustwantone and I just can't see it. Not to mention, babies scream and kids just have a certain level of noise just being (forget it when they whine and carry on) and it goes through my head like a knife. I don't want to hold them, although occasionally someone shoves one into my arms, but if I can avoid that I will.

Sadly, people just assume I hate kids for this, sigh, (although little kids tend to gather around me for some reason) and I know people wonder what is wrong with me, I get the impression that I have apparently failed as a woman in many women's eyes. To this, however, I thumb my nose, because I don't believe everyone IS cut out to be a parent. I just wish I knew the right answer when a small kid asks me the question the adults are too afraid to ask "why DON'T you have kids?" - in that accusing way they do.

Its funny, I have a very strong need to be protective of some adults in my life, and sometimes "mother" them without meaning to, but I know I wouldn't have the patience to do that 24/7 with a child.


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18 Sep 2008, 7:08 pm

I'm NT, and I never initially wanted to be a Mom. Never really enjoyed babysitting, either. But for some odd reason, when it was my time to become a mom, I've enjoyed it totally and have been fascinated with the fact that it's all turned out OK and none of my children are felons (so far).



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18 Sep 2008, 7:23 pm

Well I used to pretend to be a mum to my toys when I was little... but tbh over the past 10 years I have not wanted marrige or children and am happy with that decision.