I grew up poor — so poor that my “new” clothes were always worn-out hand-me-downs from cousins. My parents worked hard, but it was never enough, and as the oldest child, I ended up raising my siblings. Babysitting, cooking, helping with homework — I did it all. I didn’t really get to be a kid; I was basically a second parent.
That’s why I decided early on that I never want children. I’ve already lived through diapers, sleepless nights, and sacrificing my own life for someone else. I don’t want to repeat that cycle or risk falling back into the kind of financial strain I grew up with. Now, in my mid-20s, I live with my boyfriend, and while I love him deeply, he believes I’ll eventually “change my mind” about having kids.
I’ve been very clear that I won’t. We’re already struggling to cover our bills, and a child would break us emotionally and financially. Then one day, he called, excited to tell me he had adopted a puppy — for me. His reasoning was that caring for something might make me want kids someday.
I’m not against puppies, but I’m uncomfortable with a living creature being used to test or change my decision about motherhood. It feels like a boundary I’ve clearly stated is being ignored, and now I’m unsure what this means for our relationship moving forward.
