Having Pets vs Having Kids

[Lightwysh]

I had a random thought after talking to my wife about getting a 2nd dog and the topic of pets vs kids came up.

She has a 14yo daughter/my stepdaughter of 13 years. Wife has hinted at wanting another kid but financially we couldn't really justify it and at this point we are looking forward to our daughter finishing high school and moving onto college. We are not really wanting to start another 18-20 years of childhood.

We have always had a dog or 2 and a cat, and over the last few years the dogs grew old and passed on. We picked up a puppy of 6mo about 3 4 months ago and its like having a toddler in the house again. My wife was oogling babies on TV and i told her we could get another puppy and she said she would be happy with that. Thus we have moved on from kid people to crazy pet people.

What are your thoughts? Would you rather have kids or pets? Would you rather have both, or none?

[Stir]

Rather have pets.

WAY less demanding, far less costly, and not even close in terms of annoying. Plus the only thing you have to do for your pet is to make it happy. A child... You have to make 'successful' and self-reliant. A pet will recognize you for what you are (a provider of food and shelter, possibly love), while a child will only be able to recognize that when they're already living on their own (if even then).

[Raeph]

I've grown up with many pets and have a bunch now (8 mice, 6 dogs, 6 cats, 4 red ear slider turtles and a 2 acre plot in the country) and I also have step kids as well now.

Pets are good to have but they can't discuss life with you, can't grow and mature as members of society, can't have employment and careers and can't give you further generations of your family line.

My wife and I are working towards trying to have a child of our own and look forward to seeing our child together. Pets in the meantime can be alot of fun, and with out a doubt cheaper than having kids, but I would question the need to monetize the relationship between a father and mother with their children.

As someone who looks forward to seeing my child, I can say you can't put a price on that.

[Deleted]

I'm one of those species traitors who like animals more than humans. I'd go with pets over kids to be honest.

[Lightwysh]

If I were to choose one, it would certainly be children. They're potentially useful and getting your chance to shape an ideal person certainly isn't terrible. Based on the way others interact with them, I don't see pets as anything other than boring surrogates for actual relationships. In practice, I choose neither each and every day.

This is why I'm happy with our 1 child. She has taken after me and her mom quite a bit. It's a good feeling when your kid is in all AP/Honors classes going into high school, with aspirations of college and doing something productive with her life. But at the same time, I don't really want to do it again, 1 kid was hard enough. I can be the cool uncle/grandpa when that time comes, until then Ill spoil the hell out of my dog, take him to his dog classes, and spend my energy putting up with his cheeky shenanigans. If I want another dog, Ill go adopt one. It is loads easier than human babies.

[Socialhealer]

only votes where people have kids & pets are worth counting, i hate children but i love my own, my vote before having a child would be pets, but after having a child and experiencing both i'd say kids.

it's kinda like saying whats better Final Fantasy or zelda, but only playing 1 of the games.

[Adam Jensen]

I'd own a cat if I could or desired to own a pet. And I'd own a cat long before I have any kids.

[Okacz]

Rather have pets.

WAY less demanding, far less costly, and not even close in terms of annoying. Plus the only thing you have to do for your pet is to make it happy. A child... You have to make 'successful' and self-reliant. A pet will recognize you for what you are (a provider of food and shelter, possibly love), while a child will only be able to recognize that when they're already living on their own (if even then).

Kids don't scratch sofa

[Blueobelisk]

Pets are worthless. Kids any day. Of course, gotta have the proper finances as you said, but I wouldn't go wasting money on pets if I wanted to have a kid.

[Itisamuh]

Pets, by far. All of the joy and none of the hassle. Well, almost none.

[Lyra]

I don't want kids. I have some genetic conditions in my family that would make it very risky and take a lot of money/screening to avoid the risk. I also studied biological sciences and know far too much about the billions of things that can go wrong. Seriously people don't realize how huge of an accomplishment it is to have a normal kid. The risk is SO high, even under the best conditions. I look forward to having my sister take this risk and being the best Auntie ever and being extremely involved, however I don't want them for myself.

I have pets as a replacement, a very old labrador in her teens and a new puppy, they are very satisfying to me.

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Kids don't scratch sofa

Yeah you're right, they puke on it, draw on it, cut it with scissors.....

[Lightwysh]

Kids don't scratch sofa

Yes they do, and color on walls, drop food/drinks on carpet. Kids can be a whirlwind of disaster just like pets. Both take time to train and mature out of those phases.

[TJ]

I'm one of those species traitors who like animals more than humans. I'd go with pets over kids to be honest.

Same ;D, who wants kids? I hate people!

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Kids don't scratch sofa

Had dogs for 21 years, none of them have scratched the sofa. There's this thing called training and discipline.

[Deleted]

I want both dogs and kids when I decide to settle down. Pets can't substitute not having children. Although dogs are great alternatives. Trying to substitute children with having a lot of cats will just make you look crazy.

[Mjau]

I quite like kids but I don't want my own. Pets however I'm fine with! I feel like there is way too much responsibility with kids aswell as so many things that can go wrong that you wont have control over. I'm a diabetic myself and I don't think I would have the energy to deal with my own diabetes and a kids diabetes too if it would be that unlucky and get it aswell(or some other tiresome disease).
It's just not that though, I just don't have the urge to get any kids. My siblings have kids and I've been babysitting them since I was 9 from time to time which has been more than enough for me. They are great kids and all, and seeing them and having them over often but not all the time is perfect
So I don't want kids at the moment, but who knows I might change my opinion later on.

[OzoAndIndi]

I'm kind of in a gray area on kids right now. More the sort that has to be with someone who I want that with in order to want it. (And currently I am not.) Not one of those women who wants a kid just because of wanting one...

Pets are easier, in some ways. Though I'm not the sort to act like they are a substitute, though I can understand (I guess) that some people do.

Honestly in some small way I think my fictional characters have taken up a position of being a tiny bit my surrogate children... If that doesn't sound odd. lol Though no odder really than having furry kids that are dogs/cats/etc, and doing bit of writing, well I imagine it's not uncommon to have characters you grow rather attached to.

[Vermicious]

I'm 50+ and single... no question here, unless I adopt a 15 y/o.

[OneSent]

I'm allergic to pets and too selfish with my time for kids. So "none" for me.

[Tziva]

Pets only for me.

Pets are not a good substitution for people who actually want children though :P

[OzoAndIndi]

What if it does sound odd?

Tough. :P So are furry kids, but I try to look past all the Facebook posts about their "children"... At least I don't go on about it (or blog about it) to other people.

Granted one such friend with furry kids also writes and agrees she is attached to certain characters as well.