Dear readers,
Happy New Year! I suspect that you're as glad as I am that the holidays are finally over and we can get back to normal. The holidays build up so many expectations which usually result in disappointment. Right? So, let's just move on.
I have decided to feature some of the comments I receive here on the blog from time to time. They often come on old posts that you might not see. One of the posts that draws the most comments is "If You Disagree About Children, Is Your Relationship Doomed?" from Jan. 4, 2013. Most readers can't answer the question, but they're hoping somebody else can. Check out this comment from Miranda:
I'm 30 he's 38. He has seven yes 7 kids from previous relationships.
Ages 10-22... We've been together just under ten years. We finally got
married in 2014. I had been so excited to finally have the wedding and
then his mother died the week of the wedding unexpectedly. They used our
reception hall the day after the wedding for the funeral. :-( the week
after the wedding I collapsed and a CT scan showed a tumor, a rare
fibroid in my uterus causing chaos in my body and also not allowing an
egg to ever attach. It's going to be removed next month. Up until this
year I loved kids but my bio clock wasn't ticking or anything. Now it's
ticking. Up until now he said he wasn't getting a vasectomy because it
wouldn't be fair to expect me to help raise all his kids and then tell
me I can't have one. Except that's exactly what's happening. He doesn't
want more kids. He's worn out. He will have another but not because he
wants to. It's a totally different story to raise other people's kids.
His youngest is ten and We've had full custody since he was two. It's
still not the same. I want my own child. I won't leave over this matter
but I'm heartbroken. It seems like everything I've ever looked forward
to is being destroyed. I can't feasibly get pregnant and feel good about
it if it's just going to chase him off because he's tired of kids. I
doubt he'd leave but I don't want to do it alone either..
Seven kids and he can't handle one more? Now he's getting a vasectomy? My reaction is that she should insist on having the child. It's not fair to say yes and then say no, especially in a situation where the woman has only a short time to get pregnant. I know all the reasons why it might not work, but the thing is, I think too often we're afraid to demand what we need, to say, "I want a baby, and we're going to have one." We're afraid it will destroy the relationship, that our mate will resent us, that he won't love the baby. But we might be mistaken about that. We're afraid to even mention it for fear he or she will get upset. I suggest that we all make 2015 the year we speak up for our needs. If it goes bad, it goes bad, but at least we didn't suffer in silence.
What do you think? I'd love to hear your comments. I'm sure Miranda would like more opinions than mine.
1 comment:
This is exactly what a friend of mine said when I admitted to her that my husband said he no longer wants to have a child. She said, if it's what you want, just don't give him a choice. Which I believe was meant in terms of stand up for what you want, rather than force something on someone who is really unwilling (which is not going to be in the best interest of the child, most likely). Now the question is, do I want a child enough to do that and quite possibly then have to make some major changes if he sticks to his guns and says No??? As you say, this has to be the year to decide....thanks for this blog, I find it so helpful. I hope 2015 is a good year for you.
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