A happily-married couple are content with their decision not to have kids. In fact, they think they would be "miserable" if they went down that route.
Taylor Vasu, 28, and husband Justin, 27, have been able to live their lives to the fullest – and it's all down to their intentional decision not to have kids, say the couple.
Having been together for six years, they enjoy going on 12 holidays a year, going for spontaneous lunch dates, working out and sleeping in on weekends. They book time off work at a "weeks notice" and are "terrified" of how kids would impact their lives.
Having children now would be "irresponsible", says Taylor, because they are "expensive" so they want to wait until they are "financially prepared".
Currently, the couple, who met in college in July 2017 and got married in June 2022, are not planning on having children anytime soon, as their main priority is saving for a house.
Taylor, an interior designer, from Laguna Beach, California in the US, said: "I want to buy a house and have a good solid $10-15k (£8-12k) before I think about having a kid.
"We want to wait until we're financially prepared to have children, to get the bulk of the travelling done, and to give our children the best life possible."
Taylor is "terrified" about the impact a child would have on her marriage to IT sales executive Justin. She doesn't want to end up like other people with children she knows, who are "often miserable".
She added: "When you have children, your weekends are over, date nights - forget about it - and intimacy goes down the toilet."
"Your life becomes all about your child, and you forget about yourself and your marriage.
"Maintaining your independence in a relationship is really important, but that becomes really difficult with children because they are so reliant on you. It’s hard to hold onto your identity."
People often try to "guilt trip" Taylor by mentioning her "ticking maternal clock", but she just tells them: "You're just mad at the consequences of your own actions, I don't want to be miserable like you".
She added: "We can do whatever we want, whenever we want, and I don't want to give that up."
Currently Taylor and Justin are "really enjoying being young and in love" and don't feel "any need to have kids any time soon".
Justin said: "I'm very much on the same page. I do want kids eventually, but right now, I just want to enjoy my time with Taylor and enjoy our relationship."
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