Talking About Women Who Regret Having Kids Is Important, Not Horrifying

by Angelina Chapin

''A Marie Claire piece published last week presented readers with one of society’s biggest taboos: parents who regret having their kids. One woman in the article describes motherhood as a “life-altering mistake” and a “middle-class prison.” The mostly career-oriented interviewees resent that changing diapers has kept them from writing books and describe themselves as “not mother material.” Facebook groups with names such as “I Regret Having Children” and books such as The Mother Bliss Lie: Regretting Motherhood prove these women are not alone.

As you can imagine, the article has proved controversial. You’re probably feeling a little worked up yourself. Some commenters have absurdly equated the motherly regret to “child abuse,” according to Marie Claire.

More reasonably, many have called the perspective “extreme” – sure, the first five years of parenting are harried but after that you’ve only got yourself to blame for a sub par career...''