Childfree Candian women's anthology

"Nobody's Mother," a new collection of essays from childfree Canadian women, has just been released. According to an article about the book in the Times Colonist, the book includes "input from such well-known names as CBC host Shelagh Rogers, who wanted children but was physically unable; poet Lorna Crozier, who questions the negativity of words used to describe "the condition" -- words such as childless, barren and fruitless; and Maggie de Vries, author of Missing Sarah, who, in her 20s, terminated a pregnancy, assuming she would later marry and have a family but in the end, chose a life with a man who did not want children."
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Playing with kids = Less happy adults

A childfree BNOB fan named Sarah sent me a link to this excellent article on CNN.com about happiness. As noted previously on this blog, when parents claim they're happier with kids, they're not telling the whole truth.

Our genes hardwire us to reproduce, but children have a small negative effect on happiness, research shows. If you're a parent reading this, you're most likely shaking your head. But Gilbert said the findings are clear when parents are asked about their level of happiness in the moment.

"When you follow people throughout their days, as they're going about their normal activities, people are about as happy interacting with their children, on average, as when they're doing housework. They're much less happy than when they're exercising, sleeping, grocery shopping, hanging out with friends," Gilbert said. "Now, that doesn't mean they don't occasionally create these transcendent moments of joy that we remember as filling our days with happiness."

Thanks, Sarah!

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Getting stuck at the kids' table

According to this Seattle Times article, single and childfree family members often wind up sitting at the kids table during holiday meals.

Childless adults and singles sometimes get stuck at the kids' table.

Sticking unmarried members at the kids table is a form of discrimination, says social psychologist Bella DePaulo, Ph.D., author of "Singled Out" ($24.95, St. Martin's Press.)

Many hosts don't think twice about sending an unmarried aunt to the kids' table. DePaulo says it's part of a cultural lag from the 1950s. In the past, the single years were considered a transitional time between adolescence and adulthood. Now DePaulo says many adults spend more adult years single than married.

Being single or childless is more common these days, but DePaulo says some families haven't caught up with the times.

Wow. This has never happened to me. You? I'm curious to hear how other childfree people get treated by their families during the holiday season. Is there always pressure? Do you get treated like your lives are less interesting than those with kids? Or is your family extra wonderful when it comes to respecting you for who you are? (Leave your email address or contact me if you'd be willing to talk about this for an article.) [LINK]