Every time I tend to meet people for the first time and we get to talking about ourselves, the questions go something like this, "Are you married? What's your wife's name? Do you have kids?" It's always the last question that shocks me.
Kids? What? No! I'm not old enough to have kids! Then I say, "No! I mean, no. No kids." and the conversation continues. I find myself wondering afterwords (like now) why I have that reaction. I mean people my age have children, in fact my own parents had 2 children, soon to be going on 3, by the time they were my age.
Is that a sign you aren't ready for children? Is that how everyone feels until they do? (Looking at you Dan McC) It's just strange, you'd think my head would be like, "Nope, no kids." and not this kind of reeling, "WHAT? Do I look like I have kids? I'm not old enough for that... am I?"
Maybe I should tend more towards being one of those "pet people" who when people ask if I have children I can say, "Yes, but he's small and green!" Then I spend the next 3 minutes getting myself OUT of that conversation and the other person feeling awkward.
But no. No kids.
~B.