this post was submitted on 06 Nov 2023
96 points (72.9% liked)

Unpopular Opinion

7600 readers
155 users here now

Welcome to the Unpopular Opinion community!


How voting works:

Vote the opposite of the norm.


If you agree that the opinion is unpopular give it an arrow up. If it's something that's widely accepted, give it an arrow down.



Guidelines:

Tag your post, if possible (not required)


  • If your post is a "General" unpopular opinion, start the subject with [GENERAL].
  • If it is a Lemmy-specific unpopular opinion, start it with [LEMMY].


Rules:

1. NO POLITICS


Politics is everywhere. Let's make this about [general] and [lemmy] - specific topics, and keep politics out of it.


2. Be civil.


Disagreements happen, but that doesn’t provide the right to personally attack others. No racism/sexism/bigotry. Please also refrain from gatekeeping others' opinions.


3. No bots, spam or self-promotion.


Only approved bots, which follow the guidelines for bots set by the instance, are allowed.


4. Shitposts and memes are allowed but...


Only until they prove to be a problem. They can and will be removed at moderator discretion.


5. No trolling.


This shouldn't need an explanation. If your post or comment is made just to get a rise with no real value, it will be removed. You do this too often, you will get a vacation to touch grass, away from this community for 1 or more days. Repeat offenses will result in a perma-ban.


6. Defend your opinion


This is a bit of a mix of rules 4 and 5 to help foster higher quality posts. You are expected to defend your unpopular opinion in the post body. We don't expect a whole manifesto (please, no manifestos), but you should at least provide some details as to why you hold the position you do.



Instance-wide rules always apply. https://legal.lemmy.world/tos/

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

I have kids that I raise, they are great kids, I love them to death but if someone thinks kids aren't a burden (of any sort) than they're lying.

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] kevinbacon@lemmy.world 67 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Who tf thinks they aren't a burden, how is this an unpopular opinion?

[–] mogul@lemmy.world 27 points 2 years ago (6 children)

Trust me, there are people who think it's a sin to use the word "burden" when speaking of kids. They are insane IMO

[–] soloner@lemmy.world 19 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Sounds like they have the unpopular opinion

[–] mogul@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

I actually did expect this much "positivity" to my post lol. I guess I've spent too much time in a Precious Moments figurine store.

[–] Oneeightnine@feddit.uk 13 points 2 years ago

There's so much stigma around this sort of thing. It's getting better, but the mindset that children are a gift and parents should be constantly grateful for that gift is still very prevalent.

The reality is that whilst children are absolutely incredible, life affirming and all that good stuff...an awful lot of being a parent is frankly, horrible.

[–] Johandea@feddit.nu 7 points 2 years ago (1 children)

People who believes in sin are insane. Pay them no mind

[–] mogul@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago
[–] Jikiya@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

In the history of the world, probably only baby boomers and maybe some of X thought this. Any time else in history, kids are there only due to the desire to fuck. Hell, the Romans drove a plant extinct with their need for birth control.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] ChihuahuaOfDoom@lemmy.world 42 points 2 years ago

Today on wildly popular opinion

[–] foyrkopp@lemmy.world 35 points 2 years ago (1 children)
[–] NOSin@lemmy.world 18 points 2 years ago

I kinda wish it would expand on the fact that for some people, the constant care and all that is not for them, and doesn't make it "a good deal" Other than that it's a great summary, coming from someone that doesn't want any.

[–] justlookingfordragon@lemmy.world 31 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Anyone who does NOT think kids are a burden either doesn't have kids or doesn't give a sh*t about raising them right. If you are an actually responsible adult and parent, and you intend to give your kids all the attention, care and love they demand and deserve, then it WILL be taxing. It WILL eat up your time and energy for years to come. You WILL have sleepless nights, and unexpected challenges. You WILL be exhausted, frustrated and defeated at times.

The difference is that good parents feel like that tradeoff is worth it. That your beloved family / children matter most, even tho they are a burden. This isn't an "either/or" situation where struggling automatically means that you can't be happy about the struggle. Children can be the light of your life AND the most annoying thing in the universe at the same time, and a good parent will still love them whatever happens.

[–] mogul@lemmy.world 11 points 2 years ago

slow clap and wipes a tear

[–] Aermis@lemmy.world 26 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Literally standing in my kitchen right now reading this at 645am, awake since 4 because my sick 2 year old has been crying and screaming non stop, my wife in bed upstairs with our 2 day old new born, and I'm covered in peanut butter trying to make a nutritious lunch for my 5 year old for school. I have to wake her up soon to get her started. Make eggs for breakfast.

Her booster seat isn't fitting in the middle seat between my sons car seat and infant newborn car seat. So I have to fix that before we leave. My son is most likely drawing on the walls in the entertainment room.

And before 9 I need to feed the chickens and relieve my wife from her sleepless night with a newborn.

Burden is an understatement. Having a sore back is a burden. Having kids is a dynamic lifestyle change. And while sometimes I imagine not having kids and how amazing it would be to be free from that lifestyle, it always comes to the same conclusion: I wouldn't exchange my family life for anything. My children are me and I wouldn't remove them as much as I wouldn't remove my back because it was sore.

[–] mogul@lemmy.world 12 points 2 years ago (1 children)

First of all, keep up the good work, it sounds like you're an awesome dad and husband my man. I never wanted kids but I now have 6, some of them put me through some shit but I wouldn't trade any of it for a child-free life.

[–] Anticorp@lemmy.ml 7 points 2 years ago (1 children)

How do you end up with 6 kids if you never wanted any?

[–] mogul@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago (6 children)

A crazy amount of things, dem ass and titties, a partner you think you'd be together with forever, a partner that didn't believe in abortions, having one kid and thinking it wasn't so bad, lying to myself that it'd be no more than 2, did I mention dem ass and titties? Those can be so persuasive when the little guy is doing the thinking.

[–] HappycamperNZ@lemmy.world 8 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Dem ass and titties are not how she gets pregnant... I would blame education. (/s I know the feeling)

[–] mogul@lemmy.world 9 points 2 years ago

Someday I'll know where babies come from.

load more comments (5 replies)
[–] 01011@monero.town 20 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Children ARE a burden but entitled parents are a bigger burden.

[–] 13esq@lemmy.world 18 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Entitled parent: "I raised you, you owe me!!!"

Child: "you made a decision to bring me in to the world, I had no say in this at all"

[–] lugal@sopuli.xyz 17 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I live them to death

Is that a typo or the unpopular part?

[–] mogul@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago
[–] Cold_Brew_Enema@lemmy.world 14 points 2 years ago (2 children)

What a stupid post. No one thinks kids aren't a burden.

[–] Anticorp@lemmy.ml 9 points 2 years ago

Sounds like you just don't know as many different types of people as you think you do. There are plenty of people who drone on endlessly about how children are nothing but a blessing, how perfect parenthood is, and a bunch of other lies that they may or may not actually believe.

[–] mogul@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Than you don't know my ex who almost popped a vein when I said "the burden of the kids is on my shoulders" and she started making like it was blasphemous to think or say that about kids.

[–] MummifiedClient5000@feddit.dk 6 points 2 years ago (1 children)

She should post her opinion here.

[–] mogul@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

Yea it's beginning to seem like she should be the one here. Who would have thought so many sane people used social media still lol

[–] waz@lemmy.world 12 points 2 years ago (3 children)

If I don't put gas in my car it won't move. Fueling my car is a burden, but generally I think it is worth it.

[–] Streetdog@sh.itjust.works 14 points 2 years ago

Yes, don't forget to fuel your kids.

[–] Rivalarrival@lemmy.today 5 points 2 years ago

Praising cars on lemmy? It's a bold move, Cotton.

[–] HappycamperNZ@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

I would argue that fuel and kids are not a burden as it is a net positive. Burden would imply for no gain.

[–] GrayBackgroundMusic@lemm.ee 12 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Idk how unpopular this is. Everyone I've ever talked to said that children are a burden. Of course they are. It's hard work to grow plant, lol, and these are whole people. The acronym DINK exists for a reason. That said, it's a worthwhile burden. I love being a parent.

Who have you met that said raising kids isn't a burden?

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] rynzcycle@kbin.social 11 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I went to a Nerd Night where a positive psychologist shared about PERMA, a break down of the pillars of being happy: Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment.

Her take on kids (based on her research) was that P,E,R, and A definitely take a hit, but parents consistently had the highest happines when it came to Meaning in their life. Overall advice on the question of "Do kids make you more happy than no kids?" was "It really depends on the person."

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Oneeightnine@feddit.uk 11 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Yup.

I've got two (5,1). I absolutely adore them both, but I'd be lying if I said that having kids hasn't made my life significantly harder, my mental health significantly worse and my sense of self significantly weaker.

[–] mogul@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago (1 children)

One thing I can say is enjoy it while it lasts LOL!

When they get older you miss those days when they were small and easy to understand. Those teenage years, hell.

[–] Oneeightnine@feddit.uk 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I guess at the very least I get to enjoy their excited faces when I get home from work. Can't imagine you get much of that when they pass you on the way to their bedroom later on?

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Crystalizts@startrek.website 11 points 2 years ago (4 children)
[–] Dyskolos@lemmy.zip 5 points 2 years ago

Amen, fellow misanthropist.

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] Enzy@lemm.ee 7 points 2 years ago

Solution: don't have kids

Solution two: use protection

[–] InvaderDJ@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I'm convinced that having kids causes a brain chemistry change that makes parents willing to deal with their children. Otherwise, the majority of people would never have kids or abandon them shortly after birth.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] aeharding@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago (2 children)

What app are you using for Lemmy? Your post url references itself which is really weird.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] TrickDacy@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago (13 children)

than they are lying

? Really? Jesus fuck

[–] 7u5k3n@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago

Misspelled memes / titles get more attention and up votes :/

load more comments (12 replies)
[–] bstix@feddit.dk 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

In comparison to what? Not having children?

I dunno. Yeah they cost money and take time, but it's what I want to do with my money and my time.

If I didn't have children I'd be burdened with stuff like eating out everyday and travelling the world. Those are also really cumbersome things to do. Cost money and take time.

I guess it is called living. I think it's alright.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments
view more: next ›