Every woman’s dream is to procreate and have a little bundle of joy to love and care for, isn’t it? Not necessarily. Many women find fulfillment in other aspects of life, and not all of them want to bear a child. There is extreme pressure on women to have children by their parents, friends who already have children, possibly even their spouse or partner. Having a child is not a necessary part of being a complete person. Women, like men, should feel free to make the decision whether or not to have children without pressure.

One of the primary sources of pressure to have children can come from family members, particularly a woman’s own mother. It is often the dream of mothers for their children to bear their grandchildren, which can strengthen the bond between mother and daughter. It is hard to imagine the effort and sacrifice that a mother puts into her children unless a woman has had her own. This should not make a woman feel obligated to have a child for the purpose of satisfying her own mother’s dream for her. The only person a woman should live out dreams for is herself. If she has no desire to have children of her own, the chance of her not being able to find enough time and love to satisfy that child’s needs is a real possibility.

Another pressure can come from a woman’s own biological clock. Some women may feel the biological urge to have a child, although that might not have been part of her life plan. Many times these feelings come and go, and this urge will pass. It is a good idea to reevaluate one’s plan for life when these feelings occur. People do change and what a woman may have wanted in the past may not be the same later in life. Goals can be rearranged and reconfigured to fit new wants and needs. However, this does not need to be a reason to have a child.

Having a child is something that is expected of women. It is rarer for women to elect not to have children, than those that do. This doesn’t mean that this is a bad choice. People are all different and their wants and needs vary from person to person. Respecting the life choices of others is something that society is evolving towards, but has not yet fully embraced.