Your Unpopular Opinions

[kamik86]

Unless it was immediate family, I can't imagine ever asking someone married for a while without kids if they are planning on having them someday. I may ask if they have kids, but if I got a "no", I'd never probe any deeper asking "why". That's riskier than seeing what looks like a 4 month baby bump and asking about a due date. There's basically 4 options:
1) We don't want children
2) Yes, we're going to xxx (sometime in future)
3) We're trying
4) We can't

1,2 and 50% of #3 would probably be volunteered with the initial question. The rest, if not volunteered are potentially far to painful to bring up.

You would be surprised how often at work I have gotten this question though. Especially last year when my office room with 14 people had 4 have babies all within 9 months of each other.

 

[kamik86]

I was so glad my kids were born after the cut off date. When I left California, the cut off was Dec. 2nd, which I personally think is way too late. One of my kids was born on Dec. 16th, thankfully two weeks after the cut off, but potentially a child could be born 14 days before he was and be in the grade ahead. Crazy IMO. I think the cut off should be when school starts, or right around Sept. 1st.

My family was the opposite and actually sent most of the kids early. My birthday is Sept 26th. My school had a Sept 30th cutoff. So I started school at the beginning of september when I was still 4. Due to this I was 17 for the first month of college.

My older two neices have October birthdays both of them started in a school district with a December cutoff so they were able to start when they were 4 also. One of them then moved into the district I went to, which meant she was the youngest kid by a decent margin since anyone that hadn't moved with her birthday would have been a grade behind.

I don't understand why everyone wants kids to start as late as possible. I know all three of us did pretty well in school. I didn't do great socially but I don't think the extra year would have helped that is just me. As it was I was bored in most academics while in school so the extra year would have made it even worse.

 

[CPanther95]

I think it should be more flexible also. The military made no exceptions on base and the cutoff was the beginning of the school year. I was born in November but was reading at 4 in preschool and couldn't attend kindergarten until I was 5, almost 6. It was kinda nice to drive to school as a sophomore and to be 18 my senior year, but it unnecessarily put me a year behind.

 

[DawnM]

My family was the opposite and actually sent most of the kids early. My birthday is Sept 26th. My school had a Sept 30th cutoff. So I started school at the beginning of september when I was still 4. Due to this I was 17 for the first month of college.

My older two neices have October birthdays both of them started in a school district with a December cutoff so they were able to start when they were 4 also. One of them then moved into the district I went to, which meant she was the youngest kid by a decent margin since anyone that hadn't moved with her birthday would have been a grade behind.

I don't understand why everyone wants kids to start as late as possible. I know all three of us did pretty well in school. I didn't do great socially but I don't think the extra year would have helped that is just me. As it was I was bored in most academics while in school so the extra year would have made it even worse.

My husband has an October birthday and their state had a December cut off. He was always younger and hated it. He didn't make the age cut off for baseball and every summer had to play with the grade below him. I also think he needed more time to mature. They suggested he be held back in first grade but his family said no.

I know this is sexist but I think this is true for boys more than girls.

 

[hsmamato2]

I enjoy this very much.

OKay here's my collection of random thoughts that might get me banned (a little biased since I am a labor & delivery nurse):
- Mandatory drug testing for all on government assistance.
- Mandatory birth control for all on government assistance. Temporary (depo shots, IUD's) ok for the first year. After that permanent sterilization.
- Mandatory sterilization for anyone giving birth to a drug /alcohol affected child. You don't get do-overs when it comes to ruining people's lives.
- I hate Christmas music and pumpkin spice
- I think alot of homeschool kids are wierd. Nothing against homeschooling in general since I homeschool my daughter .
- I think leggings look ridiculous on anyone and putrid on those over 150 pounds. And if you are going to wear them....WEAR A LONG SHIRT!
- I often wonder how women over 325ish pounds get pregnant. Like physically, how?
- If you are in a happy, committed relationship you should be having**grown up time** multiple times a week. Makes everyone happier.

#5 and #6.... total agreement!!!

 

[hsmamato2]

how's this for controversy.... I like Universal Studios, I CAN'T STAND when people start trumpeting about their "gifted kids", and yes, I applied a well timed swat to my bratty toddlers bottom on a few occasions(3 or 4),and I believe that *some* toddlers need just that(I said gentle swat people,not beating!)
There I said it. Oh,I don't like fake pumpkin and cinnamon smells/tastes either. I like actual pumpkin and cinnamon though. And coffee and blueberry flavor should not exist together. ew.

 

[kamik86]

My husband has an October birthday and their state had a December cut off. He was always younger and hated it. He didn't make the age cut off for baseball and every summer had to play with the grad below him. I also think he needed more time to mature. They suggested he be held back in first grade but his family said no.

I know this is sexist but I think this is true for boys more than girls.

All the sports I played as well as the summer camp I went to put kids by grade not by age so I never had that issue. I could see that being a problem though.

 

[erin1715]

I hate that people assume that if you have been married awhile your going to have kids. I have been married for a number of years now, however I don't have kids.

I don't like people asking about it though because in real life no I really don't want to tell you how I tried for a few years but with PCOS and having to be on drugs just to have a period and a number of other issues that the only way I'm going to be able to conceive is with IVF, which we aren't sure we want to do. We are waiting now and deciding if we want to go down the path or if we are ok with being childless.

We're right there with you. Been married for almost 11 years with no children. And IVF is not guaranteed to work either. I've been through 4 cycles with no success. We will be doing another cycle but I'm nearing my ending point with IVF. I've come to the conclusion that it's out of my hands.

 

[Minnesota!]

Hmm--I am surprised someone registered (or created an alias?) just to post their unpopular opinions here!

Anyway, another one from me:

I think that if you drink at all, but refuse to do so in the presence of your kids/teens you are just teaching your children that hiding alcohol consumption is normal and OK--you're not teaching them not to drink (and if you do drink, why would you want to teach that anyway?) and certainly not how to drink responsibly.

I feel it is far better for kids to be exposed to adults drinking responsibility and see that example as they grow up. And if someone in the group of adults occasionally drinks too much and is irresponsible? Well, showing them the example of how you handle that a few times is not a bad thing either--I can almost guarantee they will be faced with it some day and having memories of parents packing up and leaving when a party started to get out of hand, or taking the keys from someone and setting them up on the sofa for the night, etc might help them deal with whatever they are faced with in that moment.

YES!!!!!!!! 1000% yes.

I hate that people assume that if you have been married awhile your going to have kids. I have been married for a number of years now, however I don't have kids.

I don't like people asking about it though because in real life no I really don't want to tell you how I tried for a few years but with PCOS and having to be on drugs just to have a period and a number of other issues that the only way I'm going to be able to conceive is with IVF, which we aren't sure we want to do. We are waiting now and deciding if we want to go down the path or if we are ok with being childless.

Sorry We were there, too. It's quite the process to decide which path you are going to venture on..

Another one I thought of last night - I think vacations (ANYWHERE....WDW, in town, Paris, etc.) are a necessity. Getting out and exploring outside your backyard is essential. I have gone into debt in years past just to travel, and if need be, I would do it again. I think a person can grow so much just by traveling...it is worth the cost. I am not saying go hungry to be able to afford it, but I think getting the car and going exploring is something everyone should do. Find the means.

Traveling does more mental healing for me than a therapist or pills ever could do.

 

[kamik86]

how's this for controversy.... I like Universal Studios, I CAN'T STAND when people start trumpeting about their "gifted kids", and yes, I applied a well timed swat to my bratty toddlers bottom on a few occasions(3 or 4),and I believe that *some* toddlers need just that(I said gentle swat people,not beating!)
There I said it. Oh,I don't like fake pumpkin and cinnamon smells/tastes either. I like actual pumpkin and cinnamon though. And coffee and blueberry flavor should not exist together. ew.

I agree with this. I don't have kids as stated above but I know my Dad definitely did a few things that would get parents in trouble now. Like spanking us if we did something really bad, like hitting our siblings.

We're right there with you. Been married for almost 11 years with no children. And IVF is not guaranteed to work either. I've been through 4 cycles with no success. We will be doing another cycle but I'm nearing my ending point with IVF. I've come to the conclusion that it's out of my hands.

That is part of the reason I'm unsure about doing it. Plus Honestly my husband wasn't against having kids but he never was someone that really strongly wanted them so going through all that and the expense and not having it work may be too much stress to deal with. We decided to take some time and see what the picture of our future looks like if we don't include children (previously I had just always thought we would, it was never if I have kids but when. I'm starting to realize that maybe I'm ok with not having children.)

 

[ready123go]

Another one I thought of last night - I think vacations (ANYWHERE....WDW, in town, Paris, etc.) are a necessity. Getting out and exploring outside your backyard is essential. I have gone into debt in years past just to travel, and if need be, I would do it again. I think a person can grow so much just by traveling...it is worth the cost. I am not saying go hungry to be able to afford it, but I think getting the car and going exploring is something everyone should do. Find the means.

Traveling does more mental healing for me than a therapist or pills ever could do.

Agreed!

 

[kamik86]

YES!!!!!!!! 1000% yes.




Sorry We were there, too. It's quite the process to decide which path you are going to venture on..

Another one I thought of last night - I think vacations (ANYWHERE....WDW, in town, Paris, etc.) are a necessity. Getting out and exploring outside your backyard is essential. I have gone into debt in years past just to travel, and if need be, I would do it again. I think a person can grow so much just by traveling...it is worth the cost. I am not saying go hungry to be able to afford it, but I think getting the car and going exploring is something everyone should do. Find the means.

Traveling does more mental healing for me than a therapist or pills ever could do.

I agree with that one. As a kid my parents didn't do huge vacations (first WDW trip was as an adult) but they did definitely take us camping. On day trips to Boston to see the science museum or the aquarium that sort of stuff.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

I was so glad my kids were born after the cut off date. When I left California, the cut off was Dec. 2nd, which I personally think is way too late. One of my kids was born on Dec. 16th, thankfully two weeks after the cut off, but potentially a child could be born 14 days before he was and be in the grade ahead. Crazy IMO. I think the cut off should be when school starts, or right around Sept. 1st.

Of topic but as far back as I remember the cut off has always been September first but I was born in 1985

 

[Vernie822]

My kids won't have iPads, iPhones, or any of that stuff until I think it's appropriate. I think parents buying their one year olds iPads (real ones, $300 ones), for birthdays and Christmas is insanity. A tablet of some kind that the family has, and the kids can watch movies on long car rides or something, sure. But I think (personally) that it's silly for children to constantly be attached to electronics.

I like my smartphone, but I can't stand how people are constantly attached to their technology. I'm guilty of it at times. I almost want to say "screw it" and go back to a flip phone, but it is useful for a lot of things.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

My kids won't have iPads, iPhones, or any of that stuff until I think it's appropriate. I think parents buying their one year olds iPads (real ones, $300 ones), for birthdays and Christmas is insanity. A tablet of some kind that the family has, and the kids can watch movies on long car rides or something, sure. But I think (personally) that it's silly for children to constantly be attached to electronics.

I like my smartphone, but I can't stand how people are constantly attached to their technology. I'm guilty of it at times. I almost want to say "screw it" and go back to a flip phone, but it is useful for a lot of things.

I agree and apps for that age group is silly what happened to non screen entertainment for that age

 

[barkley]

a couple more-

that taking down all personal items like family photos is a necessity to sell a home. I can honestly say that seeing family photos displayed while home shopping has never made a negative impression on me as a buyer.

along the same lines-that having lit vanilla candles or the scent of baking cookies in a home listed for sale will make it more appealing to potential buyers. NOT THIS ONE-scented candles give me migraines so when we walked into homes that smelled like the yankee candle store I left as quickly as possible, and as far as the baked cookie smell-I always wondered what smells the seller was trying to mask with this technique.

 

[gwynne]

a couple more-

that taking down all personal items like family photos is a necessity to sell a home. I can honestly say that seeing family photos displayed while home shopping has never made a negative impression on me as a buyer.

along the same lines-that having lit vanilla candles or the scent of baking cookies in a home listed for sale will make it more appealing to potential buyers. NOT THIS ONE-scented candles give me migraines so when we walked into homes that smelled like the yankee candle store I left as quickly as possible, and as far as the baked cookie smell-I always wondered what smells the seller was trying to mask with this technique.

A friend that was a real estate agent found that clients reacted better to her saying "edit and depersonlize" the space, rather than declutter.
Honestly, it was all the clutter that was the problem.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I do not believe it necessary to 100% buy into a political party in order to vote for a candidate of that party. And I don't believe it makes any sense to defend your candidate or your party from "the other side" when your candidate or party does something stupid - which they ALL do.

 

[Arielle22]

Everyone judges. So don't get on your high horse and tell me not to judge someone when you are judging me!

The term sheeple is just used to tick people off. I can't take a person's opinion seriously once that word is used.

I hate peanut butter! However my DDs love it so when they were in school I made them pb&j every day.

 

[barkley]

A friend that was a real estate agent found that clients reacted better to her saying "edit and depersonlize" the space, rather than declutter.
Honestly, it was all the clutter that was the problem.

i'll agree that tons of clutter is a huge turn-off, and along the same lines-items that are being used in non traditional areas can be a clue to house hunters about potential negative issues with a home. i clearly remember house hunting when my kids were little (2 and 4'ish) and going into a lovely home that at first glance seemed ideal to raise young kids in (great neighborhood, large fenced in yard, open concept first floor, nice sized bedrooms....) but then i noticed that part of the dining room had been set up as a playroom-with a full little girls kitchen set, vanity...and a play area for a little boy. it just looked so odd to have taken the dining room for this purpose when there were nice big bedrooms upstairs as well as a bonus room. then i got to thinking about why someone would opt to do this and i wondered if there was an issue w/someone being upstairs while someone was downstairs so i had dh go into one of the upstairs bedroom while i positioned myself in the kitchen-sure enough even a loud shout couldn't be heard from one of those rooms to another. the owners had little kids about our kid's ages so the only way mom could get work done in the kitchen and ensure the safety of the kiddos was to use the dining room as the playroom.

never would have caught on to that if those toys hadn't looked so out of place.