[mikestew]

It's the reason I quit hanging out with the "child-free" folk at a major software company (they even had an internal distribution list). For many it seemed, their whole identity seemed wrapped up in not having kids, and dinner conversations turned into "can you believe parents?" and conspicuous consumption because you're not spending it on kids.

I like kids well enough, and though they stress her after a while, so does my wife. We just don't feel the need of any of our own. And that's what it boils down to. You think you're going to talk your spouse down when they have Baby Fever because the economics don't work out? Because you value "your freedom"? Just get the divorce over with now, or get used to the idea of kids. You needed to start working on being less of a selfish prick anyway.