Do You Have Kids? Life When the Answer is No

By Kate Kaufmann

People without kids are everywhere. So why aren’t we talking about this perfectly normal way of being human?

Imagine having your own team of honest childless aunties, wise childfree godmothers, and savvy experts describe life’s options and challenges when you don’t have kids.

Do You Have Kids? Life When the Answer is No weaves together perspectives of non-mums aged twenty-four to ninety-one, a growing body of research, and the author’s own story into a practical guide to what life without kids can entail.

In this expertly researched and refreshing book, women without kids talk openly and intimately about how their lives differ from societal norms and expectations – the good, the bad, the unexpected. It is a must read for those wanting to turn that dreaded question into a powerful conversation.

Kate Kaufmann embarked on her life as a non-mum when she abandoned fertility treatments, quit her corporate job, and moved from the suburbs to a rural community to raise sheep. Since 2012, she has talked with hundreds of women and advocates for better understanding of the childless/childfree demographic. She received an MFA in creative writing in 2016 from the Northwest Institute of Literary Arts and has a professional background in corporate staffing and consulting. She currently calls Portland, Oregon home, and her writing has appeared most recently in the Washington Post.