Weirdos With No Kids. – 009

Welcome to episode 009 of the Start Fueling Better Podcast, “Weirdos With No Kids”.

No, I don’t think you’re weird, with or without kids.

This is more about how I (Paige) feel as a woman who does not have kids. (That is, based on our society and how it responds.) This feeling has formed slowly over the years, and I think back mostly to times when someone would ask if I had kids or was going to have kids. When I told them “no”, their response was “why?”. No one asks people with kids why they have kids. However when someone doesn’t have kids people will ask why.

I believe this is a big part of why I feel I need to defend my life and choices to others. As well as make it clear that I don’t dislike children. Yes, that is my issue that I need to address, and we can’t control the actions of others. However it is odd to me that others find such things to be their business.

 

Why I’m talking about this.

The crux of this issue for me really comes down to somewhat of a theme that has occurred within the podcast that there is a line or a point in which we should not be in other people’s business. It started because it applies to nutrition and how unhelpful (if not harmful) it can be when people tell others how and what they should be eating.

It is not our job to tell others (especially strangers) how and what to eat, what they should do with their bodies, how they should live, etc. Even if it comes from a good place. Often our best intentions actually cause sorrow, anxiety, struggles, etc for the person that we have thrust our opinions upon. By trying to help others, sometimes we actually end up hurting them.

During my dietetics education we read a book about eating disorders. Long story short, it made it very clear for me that our words can be more impactful than we often realize. I now make an effort whether it’s nutrition or otherwise to be more considerate of my words and to think a little more before I speak.

To be clear, I’m guilty of giving unsolicited advice myself. Thinking you’re being helpful by providing what you know or think, as innocent as it may be, can unfortunately do harm.

 

In this episode.

With that said, in this episode we discuss societal norms around having kids and how we as a couple have gone against those norms. As well as how it seems these norms may place more expectations on women than men.

 

 

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Have you heard episode 003, “Food Pushers and Know It Alls”?

 

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