On Monday during World Childless Week we showed that the childless are in every corner of the world. In the UK 1 IN 5 women remain childless at the age of 45 and that percentage is on the increase. A recent study showed that whilst 20% are childless by choice (childfree) the remaining 80% are childless not by choice. Our numbers are rising and yet we are still a largely unrecognised minority which leaves many of us thinking that we are alone.
Read moreWe Are Worthy - Stephanie Phillips
Last year when I was planning World Childless Week I decided to set a theme for each day of the week. I wanted the week to show different aspects that effect the life of someone who is childless not by choice. I thought about what subjects were discussed frequently and how I personally felt about being childless.
I realised that lack of self worth was a subject I'd seen discussed and expressed on numerous occassions. Why do we doubt our worth? It was a question that I was not sure I could answer. It was a question that needed to be addressed. I decided that one day needed to focus on expressing and celebrating that "We Are Worthy".
Read more#Flip The Script - One Step Back and Two Steps Forward
After the success of World Childless Week 2017 I was faced with the question of how to move forwards. Not with myself but with World Childless Week. I wanted to create a website to enable those who were not on Facebook to have access to all of the articles, posters and blogs that everyone had so generously contributed, but what else should I do? Would it be enough to purely represent our community one week out of fifty two? Would it be enough to focus on seven days a year or was there a need to do more?
Read more#FlipTheScript To Your Future - Stephanie Phillips on NIAW
When Stephanie found out she would never have children her world flipped upside down. She didn’t feel like she fit in anywhere and didn’t know what to do. Her head was filled with questions that whirled around in her mind. Stephanie felt like she was stuck in the middle, floating in limbo between those who were trying to be a parent and those who had already succeeded. Her future was no longer how she envisioned but was dark and foreboding. The hopeful glimmer of motherhood she’d seen had been snubbed out. Stephanie felt alone.
Read moreApril Fool?
With the 1st of April looming I am sure that children and adults alike are starting to plan jokes and stunts they can play on family and friends. I am sure there will be plenty of posts and video’s circulating social media for me to view. Will they make me giggle, laugh out loud, cringe or just feel disappointed? Not disappointed, because the prank didn’t go to plan, but disappointed because the joke has a tainted side.
Read moreTaking Control
A few weeks ago a situation arose out of the blue that left me feeling anxious. Each morning I felt my stomach roll over as I never knew what the day would bring. More often than not the day passed without incident but I still found it hard to sleep at night as my mind battled with thoughts of what if’s. Anxiety and insomnia are definitely the best of friends.
Read moreMother's Day UK 2018
Today can can be a day of mixed emotions. There will be some of us who whilst recogning and celebrating the love for our own mothers are hiding an inner sadness at not having our own children.
Read moreGuest post - Robyn Jamieson-Voss
This is an awful article! The writer is clearly a pro-natalist, and figures that the only noble thing to do is have children, and at that, assumes the least of those of us who do not have children. How awful that 60% of Europe is living in countries that have leaders who are childless (the world will surely end because of it)! She assumes that childless adults are detached from family life (as if the ONLY definition of family is that with children), and that we have no personal tie to the next generation.
Read moreGuest Blog - Celebrating Mums (And Non-Mums) on Mother's Day
For those women who, like myself, are childless not by choice (CNBC), Mother's Day brings a mixture of feelings: love and appreciation for our own mothers (and mothers everywhere), and sadness that we will never experience motherhood ourselves.
Read moreOne size doesn't fit all
The nature of humans is that we bunch together into our groups where we recognise ourselves in others. We feel safe when surrounded by people who understand us: our thoughts, our lifestyle, our aims and dreams. It can be positive and uplifting to reach out and be amongst those who understand our minds.
Read moreMother's day Letter to raise awareness
Many of us find these preceding weeks and final day full of conflicting emotions. We want to celebrate our relationship with our mother and show our appreciation however this can inflame our pain of being childless. Those who attend any place of worship may be faced with a mother's day service that has the potential to upset and alienate.
Read moreTunnel Vision
The day after speaking with Berenice about this website I started to compile a list of the support and social groups that I wanted to include on the website. I wrote a brief introduction that I would be placed at the top of the social group’s page. A few hours later I suddenly reflected on something I had discussed with Berenice and how it linked to something I’d briefly written about in the social group’s description.
Read moreWorld Childless Week website launch
Whilst World Childless Week focuses on raising awareness over the period of one week it is hoped that the World Childless Week website will become a source of information and support for each day of the year.
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