by Merle | Jul 17, 2020 | Childfree Life, Communication, Deciding, Parenting, Relationships, Single Parenting
Celebrate in a low-key way — just yourselves if you are a couple, (or with a close friend or two if you are single) or invite a few special friends who support your decision. You could have a special dinner at your house or restaurant, or hike or picnic in a favorite...
by Merle | Jul 17, 2020 | Childfree Life, Communication, Deciding, Parenting, Relationships, Single Parenting
Are you afraid your decision isn’t really a decision if you aren’t 100% sure? As I have said in The Baby Decision, 60/40 is a decision, even though you won’t call it that until, through time and reflection, you reach 80/20. Ambivalence is a normal part of the human...
by Merle | Jul 17, 2020 | Childfree Life, Communication, Deciding, Parenting, Relationships, Single Parenting
You don’t have to tell anyone yet if the decision is brand new and you are waiting for it to jell. There are some people you may never tell, such as co-workers, acquaintance, neighbors, and busybodies. If you are worried about someone’s reaction — most typically...
by Merle | Jul 15, 2020 | Adoption, Childfree Life, Deciding, Environment, Parenting
Have concerns about the environment and COVID-19 affected your thoughts about having a child? As if it hadn’t already been daunting enough to consider parenthood in light of lack of parental paid leave, child care and housing expenses; college debts and...
by Katie Wilson | Jul 13, 2020 | Childfree Life, Deciding, Parenting
By guest author: Katie H. Wilson I recently considered ways that I could enjoy some of the things that parents enjoy with their children, but as an individual who is childfree by choice. I explored themes such as playfulness and how to still have the joy of children...
by Merle | Apr 3, 2020 | Book Reviews
Overcome Isolation. Invite an Author and Her Characters Into Your Home! If you can’t listen to another minute of CNN, or need a break from Zoom screens, an upbeat book could be just what you need. Here is a list I compiled of comfort books. Some are upbeat and...
by Merle | Apr 3, 2020 | Counseling
Dear Clients and Friends, I hope that you and your loved ones are safe and well. We are all struggling to balance fear and hope, to find our new normal. Worrying about ourselves and our loved ones, securing food and supplies, working from home, especially with...
by Merle | Jan 13, 2020 | Childfree Life, Counseling, Parenting, Relationships, Single Parenting
Happy New Year! Welcome to Our Brainstorming Series to Help You Launch 2020. Which of these resonates with you? Click on the one that speaks to you and get started! It’s the New Year and I want to: Finally Decide Whether to Have a Child Launch Our Childfree Life Go...
by Merle | Dec 14, 2019 | Merle in the Media, Parenting, Single Parenting
What if your dreams of starting a family with your partner were disrupted by a life-threatening diagnosis? Caitlin Gibson, a reporter for The Washington Post wrote a thorough and compassionate article for The Washington Post Magazine, online here, in print on...
by Merle | Dec 12, 2019 | Ask Merle Q&A, Relationships
Q: Nate asks about how to handle reading and discussing The Baby Decision. Q: My wife Sara and I recently started reading our own separate copies of The Baby Decision. We are keeping a journal as we read and do the exercises. We are also trying to stay together in the...
