Why I Chose to Be Childfree After Watching My Mom's Hard Work 👩‍👧

A woman says she chose to be childfree after seeing how hard her mum worked to raise her sister – and suggests having kids is a "want not a need".

Evi Nardi, 35, was just nine when her mum, Lili, 54, fell pregnant with her sister, Laura, 26, and saw the “hard work” that went into being a mother.

Her decision to not have children was further solidified when she was a counsellor during college – aged 23.

Now Evi and her partner, Alex, 29, have been travelling on and off for the past year – visiting cities across the world such as London, Barcelona, Nashville, Montreal and Las Vegas.

She says being childfree allows her to have a “lack of structure” and believes having children is a “want not a need”.

Evi, a content creator, originally from Venezuela, South America, said: “When I was nine I had a sister. I remember being scared.

“I saw my mum struggling with her health and it was the first reality check.

“When she was born I helped a lot – I was so excited. I started to notice it was hard work.

“College became hands on. It solidified the idea that having kids was not for me.

“Why would I go and put myself in a box by having kids?

“I’ll never regret not having kids.”

By aged 26, Evi had the “financial freedom” to do more of what she wanted and knew she would never have children.

She met Alex, who works in technology, two years ago and found they were on the same page.

Despite being told “it was just a phase” and she’d “regret” not having children, Evi is very “happy” with her choice.

She now spends her days having slow mornings, taking long walks around the city she is in and enjoying bars and restaurants.

Evi said: “I get to have a different day every day.

“If I had kids I’d have to give up that lack of structure.”

Evi says she constantly has strangers online calling her “selfish” online for not wanting children.

She said: “Having kids has been seen as this selfless endeavour.

“As a woman you give up your body for nine months.

“I get how the notion is selfless but you ask people why they are having children and they say ‘I want one’.”

“It’s a want not a need.

“It’s oddly seen as selfless but in reality it’s a choice.”

Evi loves being able to put her partner first and put their quality time first – something she feels she wouldn’t be able to do if there was a child involved.

Evi said: “Having that ability to have that quality time is great.”

The couple hope to eventually settle down in north America and adopt pets.

Evi hopes sharing her childfree and happy lifestyle will help others who feel the same as well as those who can’t have children through circumstance.

She said: “You can be happy even if kids are not a part of your life.”

Follow Evi on Instagram @childfreebff