Meet Jody Day, an icon, an inspiration, and a pioneer in creating community for non-parents 💝

From the episode:

- how Jody worked through her childless grief to feel as childfree as if she’d chosen it

- why everyone along the non-parent spectrum needs to unite to fight against the powers of pronatalism

- Alterkin, Jody’s innovative, in-person, intergenerational community of non-parents who vow to support each other as they age

We are Childfree is an independent podcast and we rely on community support to keep going. Please consider becoming a Dolly Patron, starting at €5 a month. You’ll get full episodes, exclusive portraits, access to the chat and free childfree stories straight to your inbox.

Help us get to 2000 members, to cover the costs of celebrating and supporting childfree lives for one more year! Find out how to become a Dolly Patron at wearechildfree.substack.com

🔗 Links

Find Jody at Gateway Elderwomen  Book: Selfish, Shallow, and Self-Absorbed: Sixteen Writers on The Decision Not To Have Kids - edited by Meghan Daum Book: The Baby Matrix: Why Freeing Our Minds From Outmoded Thinking About Parenthood & Reproduction Will Create a Better World - Laura Carroll Book: No One Talks About This Stuff - edited by Kat Brown

We spill the childfree tea on the complicated feelings that come up when we find out our friends are pregnant. It’s something almost all of us will face at some point - so we surveyed the childfree community to get the truth about the topic!

Then, in a re-released Ask WAC chat, we rally round a couple whose friend groups are now full of parents, with little time for anything but their kids. This is such a tricky problem, so we tapped the We are Childfree community hive mind for some stellar support and amazing advice!

If you’d like more support making and keeping friends, you can join Zoë and a small group of childfree cheerleaders for a live workshop to feel seen, supported, and connected - especially when your friendships are shifting 🤗

Links

Childfree Cheer Camp Presents: Navigating Friendships 🤗

Survey: Navigating Friendships 🤗 Help us help you!

Podcast: Claiming Zero - Friendship Before and After Kids

Maria Coffey has lived A LIFE. She started travelling in her teens, desparate to escape safe, settled life in the UK and see the world. From Morocco to Malawi to the remote Solomon Islands, Maria’s adventures have taken her to places and people she never would have experienced had she had children. Now 73, Maria looks back on a life full of love and loss, of risks and rewards - but no regrets!

Follow Maria on Instagram and read her memor Instead: Navigating the Adventures of a Childfree Life (a We are Childfree book club favourite!)

Join your community of childfree cheerleaders and sign up for a We are Childfree membership today!

A listener asks: what do you say when a child asks, do you have kids?

This one goes out to all the cool aunts, childcare professionals, and our wonderful childfree community who offered such great advice!

If you have a problem you'd like the community's help with, email hello@wearechildfree.com with "Ask WAC" as the subject line.

Questions from We are Childfree members get priority! To jump the queue, get episodes a week early, and find your community of childfree cheerleaders, join us at www.wearechildfree.com/join/ 🙌

Links

Winery: Vinarija Bošković

A Bit Fruity podcast: Christian Indoctrination in Homeschooling

The New York Times: Women Who Said No to Motherhood

Story: Mary Gay, 79, USA

We are Childfree: Share Your Story

#DefundPawPatrol

OK this one’s a doozy! Even if you’re sure you want kids, society’s going to try and pressure you to doubt yourself and change your mind. And when that happens, how do you separate those external influences from your true heart’s desire. We offer some guidance, with the help of our wonderful childfree community!

If you have a problem you'd like the community's help with, email hello@wearechildfree.com with "Ask WAC" as the subject line.

Questions from We are Childfree members get priority! To jump the queue, get episodes a week early, and find your community of childfree cheerleaders, join us at www.wearechildfree.com/join/ 🙌

Links

Podcast: No regrets, with 78 year-old childfree trailblazer Marcia Drut-Davis

Masterclass: Create Your Childfree Life Vision

Book: The Baby Matrix

Podcast: Don’t fear regret, with Orna Donath

Podcast: Kids or Childfree

Podcast: Navigating ambivalence, with clarity coach Keltie Maguire

We rally round a childfree couple whose friend groups are now full of parents, with little time for anything but their kids. This is such a tricky problem that we’ve all either faced or one day will, so we tapped the We are Childfree community hive mind for some stellar support and amazing advice!

If you have a problem you'd like the community's help with, email hello@wearechildfree.com with "Ask WAC" as the subject line.

Questions from We are Childfree members get priority! To jump the queue, get episodes a week early, and find your community of childfree cheerleaders, join us at www.wearechildfree.com/join/ 🙌

Links

Study: Parents spend more time with children now than they did 50 years ago

The Cut: Adorable Little Detonators

Report: Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation

Meetup Group: Cape Coral Childfree Women

Book: We Should Get Together: The Secret to Cultivating Better Friendships

Childfree Trip: Belize: Jungles, Mayans & Manatees With Zoe

Book: Harpy: A Manifesto for Childfree Women

“Now I wish I'd never brought it up but mostly I'm sad and feel quite alone.”

We help out a childfree woman whose partner is pushing back against her decision to get permanent birth control surgery. There’s tons of great advice from the childfree community here, about negotiating this tricky subject with your partner, what to do if they seem to be sitting on the fence, and owning what is ultimately your choice, for your life.

If you have a problem you'd like the community's help with, email hello@wearechildfree.com with "Ask WAC" as the subject line.

Questions from We are Childfree members get priority! To jump the queue, get episodes a week early, and find your community of childfree cheerleaders, join us at www.wearechildfree.com/join/ 🙌

Links
Childfree Stories: My Body Their Choice

Podcast: Don’t fear regret, with Orna Donath

Journal: Do childfree people regret their choice?
Journal: Happy World Vasectomy Day!

Resource: The Childfree Friendly Doctors List

Resource: Sterilisation Binder Guide

Ever wondered how van life or any kind of long term travel really works? Like, practically speaking? In this episode we answer a great question from a day one supporter about how to downsize for a life of adventure. Listen in to hear...

💪 Our brutal Marie-Kondo-on-steroids approach to shedding stuff
🗺️ The logistics of long term travel without a home base
🔮 How Essentialism (not Minimalism) helped us focus on what really matters
📚 And some big news (HUGE) from the We are Childfree team!

If you're worried about facing unwelcome questions this festive season, check out our FREE Childfree Holiday Survival Guide 🤶👍

Links
Podcast: Cool aunt energy, with environmentalist, atheist and big, blended family member Marie Fisher
Podcast: Life done differently, with Lisa Jansen
Masterclass: Create Your Childfree Life Vision
Book: Vagabonding by Rolf Potts
Book: How to Be Childfree by We are Childfree! Sign up for updates 🙌

If you have a problem you'd like the community's help with, email hello@wearechildfree.com with "Ask WAC" as the subject line.

Questions from We are Childfree members get priority! To jump the queue, get episodes a week early, and find your community of childfree cheerleaders, join us at www.wearechildfree.com/join/ 🙌