This Eye-Opening Comic By Kate McDonough Illustrates Why It's Okay To Not Want Kids

This Eye-Opening Comic By Kate McDonough Illustrates Why It’s Okay To Not Want Kids

Published 4 years ago

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They say being a mother is a full-time job so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that some women don’t want to sacrifice a large portion of their lives to raising a child. But apparently this isn’t obvious to everyone. Tired of having to explain herself to others, illustrator Kate McDonough created an eye-opening comic titled I Don’t Want Kids (And That’s OK!) that explains why she thinks raising children is not for her.

In an interview with Bored Panda, the woman said that humor has always been at the root of most of her work and is a way of coping with anxiety and health issues she’s experienced over time. Kate believes that one of the reasons people find it weird that she doesn’t want children is because they don’t understand where she’s coming from – especially if they have children themselves. “They may not be able to imagine not having that joy in their life,” says the artist. “It also might be awkward because people tend to expect the standard answer of ‘Oh, we’ll be trying soon!’ There isn’t a standard answer to give when someone says they don’t want kids.”

Kate explains that the end of her comic tries to address the issue and that there’s not much that needs to be said other than acceptance. “Asking about children has also been the standard for a long time, and I think people are starting to realize that there are so many reasons someone might not have children,”says the artist. “It’s really best not to ask unprompted. If someone wants to talk about their decision to have children or not, it’s helpful to be supportive and possibly ask questions if it seems right.”

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Image credits: katemcdonough

The artist believes that when it comes to having kids, couples should have discussions about it. “Even if you are a young couple and have no current plans of children, down the line it can become a very emotionally difficult issue. For a lot of couples it can end up being a deal-breaker if one person wants children and the other one doesn’t,” explained Kate. “There are people who make it work as well, every relationship is different and communication is essential. Everyone’s feelings on the matter are completely valid.” She believes that it’s better to know the truth early on than find it out down the line.

Kate says she has been drawing and writing her whole life and grew up reading comics in the newspaper and making her own books out of notebook paper and tape. “Every discovery of a new type of pen blew my mind. I always knew I wanted to be an artist, but I changed my mind several times: fashion designer, interior designer, graphic designer… I finally chose fine art and attended the College of Visual Arts in Minnesota to get my bachelor’s degree in illustration,” said the artist. Since graduation, Kate has made various zines, drawings, paintings and is even working on her first graphic novel. She has also been exhibiting at comic shows, doing commissioned art, and selling her work online.

Many people loved Kate’s comic

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One day, this guy just kind of figured - "I spend most of my time on the internet anyway, why not turn it into a profession?" - and he did! Now he not only gets to browse the latest cat videos and fresh memes every day but also shares them with people all over the world, making sure they stay up to date with everything that's trending on the web. Some things that always pique his interest are old technologies, literature and all sorts of odd vintage goodness. So if you find something that's too bizarre not to share, make sure to hit him up!