TODAY speaks with Blackstone about why people choose to be childfree
Amy Blackstone, a sociology professor at the University of Maine, spoke with TODAY for the report, “‘I don’t think this is for me’: 7 reasons why people choose to be childfree.” Blackstone spoke about a recent study she co-wrote with UMaine graduate Mahala Stewart, titled “There’s More Thinking to Decide: How the Childfree Decide Not to Parent.” As a woman who has chosen not to have kids, Blackstone said she wanted to understand the different reasons people opted out of parenthood, according to the article. “I really had this feeling that something must be wrong with me,” she said. “Why is it that I’m not feeling this pull toward motherhood that we’re all told, as we’re raised, all of us will feel?” To answer that question, Blackstone interviewed 21 women and 10 men who also chose to be childfree. Although the sample is small, Blackstone believes the study offers an accurate glimpse into people’s decision-making, the article states. The common themes Blackstone found included the decision was made consciously over time, people wanted to remain close to their partner, and having children would put limits on what they want to do in life, TODAY reported. UpNorthLive.com also cited Blackstone’s TODAY interview.