I know quite a few people (both male and female) who have some sort of aversion towards babies and small children. I've noticed that this isn't all that uncommon.

These same people go crazy over puppies and kittens yet find infants of their own species disgusting. Does anyone else find that strange and counter-intuitive? When you think about it, in a biological way, it doesn't seem to make sense.

And so I've actually noticed that a LOT of people find baby animals cuter and more "precious" than baby humans. I have to admit I'm in this group as well (although I certainly don't hate baby humans, I find them cute as well). People are just much more likely to squeal with glee at an adorable puppy than at a toddler.

So, I guess those are a few questions then. Do you find this strange and why do you think this is? Could it be a sign of immaturity?

Human babies are only so cute and cuddly and adorable as long as you don't have to change their nappies!

At least kittens are cleaner and don't play in their own poop.

Personally I agree that it's strange some people coo over kittens and puppies and then say babies are gross. Maybe it's because puppies and kittens are (relatively) easy to care for whereas when most people think 'baby' they think dirty nappies, crying, etc. Perhaps it's only when you have your own bundle of joy that this changes?

I will be honest: I HATE CHILDREN & KIDS!!!
I don't know exactly why, but I just don't feel comfortable when they are around me. And many people wondered 'How will you become a father if you hate them?'. Well I don't plan to have one girl through entire life (marriage), so naturally I don't plan to have kids. I want to be free in love way and charm girls through my entire life and die like that.

On the other side, I can't stand baby's crying and how they look, running and jumping children, all in all I hate all who are under 10-11.

However, I more like animals than humans, and I don't have anything against puppies/kittens/birdies... I like them the same as big animals, and that's VERY MUCH!

i hate kids too. they bitch and moan if they dont get their way. ive had more than one toddler point me out before. as for elementary school kids they make fun of anyone they cant accept. as for the animals, i love them. but i hate kids because they always want more.

But... that's what I want to understand better! People who hate babies and love baby animals give the reasoning "babies are loud and smelly!"... but animals and their offspring are ALSO loud and smelly. Puppies and kittens can cry a lot (I've lost sleep numerous times listening to puppies whine ALL night), most animals smell relatively bad, etc... it's not something that's unique to young humans.

Yet for some reason people don't find loudness and smellyness annoying if it's a baby animal. Which doesn't make sense, that you forgive other species for the same traits that you hate your own species' infants for.

The cry of a human infant is made so that you cannot ignore it. No matter how hard you try, it will still stab you in the brain until you find a way to shut the kid up. You can ignore a kitten mewing at you - even a puppy whining. Good luck trying to ignore a baby screaming in the same room.

They are a LOT louder, a lot smellier, and a hell of a lot more trouble than any animal. They take ages to mature (even a 3 month old kitten or puppy can go where you want them to - you have to keep changing diapers till they're 2 or more for humans), and a 6 month old cat can communicate to you their needs a hell of a lot better than a 6 month old child. And human babies have thumbs - which means from the moment they can get around on their own, they're into -everything-, and at least as destructive as a cat or dog, if not more so. Cats and dogs usually don't decorate your expensive new LCD tv with crayon.

Puppies and kittens are a lot easier - and a lot more trainable from an early age (yes, even cats) than humans. They also maintain a look which we perceive as "cuteness" (large eye-to-head ratio, large head-to-body ratio) for longer, proportionally, and they're playful right away. And usually they don't have temper tantrums.

Nobody is obligated to like children. Or animals. I think saying it's a sign of immaturity is just your personal bias, and rather closed-minded. People have personal likes and dislikes and preferences - there are plenty of intelligent, mature, adult professionals who simply don't want to have kids because they don't like them, have no use for them, and don't see the point - they may have pets instead, but, then, you can leave your 1 year old dog or cat alone for the day when you go to work - can't really do that with a baby. Well. You can, but it's frowned upon. :P

It took a long time for my desire for kids to kick in - mostly it was that I hadn't been around any -good- kids. Then I got to spend a summer with my sister's twin 2 year olds and I realized that yeah, they're horribly annoying, but they're also really cool, and come up with some hilarious and imaginative stuff. And the interaction you can have with a child is amazing - explaining to them about the world, filling their heads with ideas and nonsense... doesn't stop me from sometimes wishing I could trade my kid for a puppy, but really... trying to compare human children and animal children is just silly. They're both immature examples of their own -wildly different- species. The only real similarity is their youth and "cuteness".

I don't really like children and babies, I certainly don't hate them and can admit that they can be cute sometimes, but ultimately they're just not for me. Dogs on the other hand, I love. They're so lovely and friendly and happy all the time. A friend of mine had a baby at about the same time another friend bought a puppy. I cooed waaay more over the puppy than the baby.

I don't see anything wrong with people preferring pets over babies - they're a hell of a lot easier, as HP said - but when people put the needs of their animal above the needs of other humans, that's when I would start to worry.

I remember reading somewhere that for 6 months babies give off a type of pheramone in their smell to 'help' parents love them! (I am a Mum of 4 so don't really need to give my opinion lol)

I don't "hate" children. I dislike with a passion those who are so unruly and misbehaved that they cannot shut up for one instant-screaming, crying, acting out, in specific. Their parents don't help to stop them, just give them their lead, and it's off to the races.
I think a lot of the dislike of small children comes from their tendency to do exactly as they like at the top of their lungs, and because of that, the ears of the people hearing it get assaulted every single second. It hurts after a while-then it enrages you to the point where you would glady throw the baby and the parents out of the area without a second thought.
It is not a sign of immaturity to know what you don't like. It's actually the opposite because you know your limits and what you'll tolerate. Kids are one of the limits for me.
Never had 'em, never really wanted to. Can't say I'm missed out on a lot. Over the age limit for having them, so that's a moot argument anyway.

I don't mind kids at all, kids will be kids, and at one point in your life you bitched and moaned because you didn't get it your way, but I still act like I'm a child, cause that's where it's at you know?

I can't say I hate kids. My sister has a daughter who's 6, a son who's nearly 2, and a third on the way. I've been in those kids' lives nearly every day since the day they were born and I will be that way with the baby on the way. I love my niece and nephew. They are wonderful children, with wonderful imaginations, laughter that fills me up with warm fuzzies and kisses that are drooly and slobbery but are filled with love.

At the same time, however, they're the demon spawn of hell. The girl has ADHD and her mouth and her body is constantly running at 120 mph and that boy gets his hands on everything, puts everything in his mouth, throws your CELL PHONE IN THE TRASH, inks all over the walls and on the windowsills and does it all with a devious little smile on his face because he knows exactly what he's doing and he knows it's wrong.

I can't hate kids because I've been around them every day for the last six years of my life. But because I've been around them, because I've babysat them nearly everyday, because I know exactly how hard it is to take care of them, I know that I'm not ready for kids and that I'll probably never be ready.

Sometimes, kids just aren't what people want. It doesn't make them immature, it doesn't make them heartless or cold: they just know what they want and a family isn't necessarily what they want.

And pets are much easier to handle and deal with. Just because we don't want kids doesn't mean we don't squeal over kids. I think my niece and nephew are adorable, beautiful children. But I also squeal over adorable kittens (I don't like dogs). We still have that instinct, but it doesn't mean we want to have kids. Pets are an easier alternative.

I never said it's the same to hate kids and not want to have kids - those are completely different things.

Also, I can't take seriously the claims that pets are "easier" to care for, my dogs have done so much damage both material and psychological that I don't think any baby can live up to it. Animals can behave badly.

But there it is again. I don't like grumpy people but it would be too much to say that I don't like old people (most of them are grumpy, from my experience, just like most kids are noisy).

I also can't stand it when a kid (or an adult) is being loud in a restaurant or on an airplane or anywhere really. But it's hard to just "hate kids" because some of them are loud.

I admit I get a far stronger "aww" reaction to a puppy or kitten than I do to a baby. If going by that simple reaction alone, I find small animals quite a bit more adorable than small humans. I don't think I can rationalize this reaction - it just is. And no I don't think one can compare caring for an animal with the absolute dedication and self-sacrifice needed to raise a child (at least, properly).

I also am not fond of children - they require an enormous amount of constant care and attention, and a small child throwing a tantrum has a way of draining every bit of my patience very quickly and their high-pitched cries are extremely grating. My boyfriend's sister has a boy of almost 3, who, even though is a very happy and well behaved little boy, still manages to drain my energy whenever I visit for an entire day - and I'm not even the one who has to take care of him constantly. It's just the way children are so very "present" and needy all the time that feels quite overwhelming for me, and this is perhaps a consequence of me not being a parent, but I do not feel particularly warmed by them. This, of course, is part of the reason why I do not intend to become a parent anytime soon.

I didn't mean to imply that you did. It's more that I was articulating what I've said many times to people who do tell me that I hate kids and am cold/cruel/heartless simply because I don't want any of my own.

Animals can be a burden, but some people obviously feel that it's not as bad. Have you ever lived with a child? If you haven't, then you can't possibly have any sort of notion of how terrible they can be. Having kids is a job. There are wonderful benefits to having kids, but at the same time, there are cons, so if you don't want to deal with the cons, and don't care much for the benefits, then it would be best for you to not have kids. There's also a fragility to babies. Some people are simply afraid that they wouldn't be good enough parents: that they'd screw up their kids if given reign over how to care for them.

Yes, dogs and other animals can destroy furniture but they're also there to provide company. I've lived with a cat (again, I don't like dogs), and aside from peeing on everything, she didn't do much damage to anything. Taking care of her was a lot less to handle than taking care of a baby.

I live with my niece and nephew and every day, my energy is drained from simply watching over them. I have to keep a constant eye on my nephew, deal with the perpetual noise of them laughing, crying, arguing, pouting, my niece's ever moving mouth (she plays the Sims and whenever she's on, she'll articulate what she thinks the people are thinking and/or saying and she'll come up with complete stories for them all: she does this for every game she plays or TV show she watches or book she reads), and it's mentally and physically exhausting.

I don't want kids because I grew up with a brother with ADHD and a sister who came along 18 months later and I saw how incredibly hard that was for both my parents, mum especially because she had to deal with it more. Whilst I am fully aware that not all kids will be like my brother, when that's all you've ever known it's hard to let go of that and see them in a positive light. So, for me, my dislike of kids and not wanting them stems from that.

In all honesty I don't think you can say that owning a pet is harder or equal to raising a child. Animals definitely require much less work and attention and time and money.

I once had someone say it was selfish of people to not want kids. One of the most illogical statements I think I've ever read.

Ghanima Atreides - I friggin LOVE your avatar'

Not to mention one of the stupidest. There are people who want kids because their friends are having them, to trick someone into marriage or paying child support, or because their the latest fashion accessory. Those people are so considerate and unselfish of their own needs.

Perhaps not harder but they can certainly do as much if not more damage. At least babies can't climbs shelves or chew through cables.

Yes. Animals can behave badly. I've had -many- pets of all different kinds (except monkeys... always wanted a monkey). I've had a PC ruined by a cat, carpet ruined by ferrets, my current cat refuses to stop peeing in one corner... I've been bitten, scratched, knocked over, even stomped on and dragged by animals..

But they are nothing compared to a child. It's not just a baby - it's an entire human being. By the time most dogs are starting to not do much besides lay on the couch and eat treats anymore, children are just getting warmed up for the real destruction of their teenage years. Even a small child can do an -insane- amount of damage - and it just gets worse as they get older... Way more than a dog - you can put a dog in a crate if it's getting too rambunctious. Unfortunately, can't do that with a human child. Well. You can... but... :P

Dogs also can't speak. They can't ask you why your face looks like that, or why your butt is so much bigger than all their friends' mommies butts, or tell you they hate you. Kids can sometimes find ways to really cut into you deep, without even meaning to - or worse, actually meaning to.

I'm sorry, but to compare the impact a dog can make - their potential physical damage and emotional damage - to that of a human being - albeit a small, inexperienced one, just shows you have no idea what it's like to be a parent. That's okay - maybe one day you will, if that's what you want, but it's nothing like what you think it is now, that much is for sure.

Haha! Clearly you've never had children. However, I will say I call anyone under the age of 2 a baby, so this does include the toddler stage by my definition.

I like animals and kids/babies a lot. One thing that you can't really do with animals which you can with children is reason with them - after a certain age. Yes an animal becomes fairly independant a lot faster but you can't explain to them why they can't climb up onto the counter or scratch the furniture.

I think kids are amazing. Everything has a negative side but also a positive side. Kids are pure and honest and unprejudiced until they are taught in ways which change those things. I teach piano and i have about 60 students a week so i've met all kinds of kids. I must say i am usually pleasantly surprised at the things they say or think of.

It's easy to dislike kids if the only ones you've been exposed to have been unpleasant to be around. There are plenty of those.

I think the most selfish decision about having them is having them just for the sake of having them. I'd rather that people who didn't want kids, or weren't ready to give up a good part of their lives to raise them, didn't have them.

Back in the day when I actually watched talk shows, it would drive me nuts to see young girls who were pregnant, or wanted to be, being interviewed with their moms. Daughter would cuss at mom and call her names and say how much she hated her, then say that she wanted a baby so she'd have someone who loved her unconditionally. Ironic, much?

I've known people who didn't like kids but changed their minds after being around them and turned out to be fine parents. I've known people who like kids just fine but decided not to have them, and that's good, too. I think the big factor is how well you know kids who aren't horrible. Spend no time with good kids, spend lots of time with awful kids, and it's not a stretch to see why someone wouldn't like kids.

Well people are always telling me that I have an 'overactive maternal instinct' because I adore babies and children and if I had been able to I would have had a huge family. Unfortunately it was not be be due to complications and I actually gave birth to only three. Sadly the youngest died before she was a year old and I was unable to have anymore. My two kids are the centre of my world, they are what makes my life worth living and the best thing I EVER did was creating them! I think nature makes some people less 'maternal or paternal' to even things out with the ones who have a similar urge as I did and are able to have huge families.
I fed my need by becoming a foster parent and did that for 11 years and in that time I cared for over 50 babies and toddlers - I loved every moment of it and would do it again in an instant if my health permitted it.
I cant walk past a pram in the street without taking a peek inside and cooing over the baby inside. When visiting friends and family with babies I tend to spend more time talking to the babies than the adults. My childbearing days are well over and now I just can't wait to have grandchildren! My daughter loves children as much as I do so we are both hoping she has the large family I never could and I CAN'T WAIT!

My daughter is turning 4 very soon. About a year ago, in one day of horrible tantrums, she caused me about a grand in damages. She pulled the shelving down that holds the dvd player, as well as some glass figurines and such. Luckily I know better and was right there to catch stuff or she could have been damaged as well. Then she almost pulled the other shelving down that holds my mother's ashes and pictures and things. (She'd a been toast if she did that!) Then (and this is mostly my fault for placing a candle in such a stupid place) she knocked the lit candle over that was sitting on top of my computer tower, and that went up in flames.

I think the worst damage my cats ever did was pee on the carpet or a pile of clothes. I can wash that.

I was one of those people that never wanted kids. But life has a funny way of throwing surprises our way, and because of that I'm a mom now. I love my daughter with all of my heart, and can't even remember what life was like before she came along. But I've never had a biological urge to have children, and if that ever happens...I think I'll opt for the puppy.

Hey! Watch it! (jk)

I have SOOO much to say about this topic. My mom raised me to believe that a woman's ultimate purpose in life was to be a mom. It was joy, it was wondrous--yadda yadda. And I bought into it.

After I had my second child (when I had agreed with my partner to have 4), I realized that I don't like kids. I like infants okay--they are cuddly and cute. Once they can walk--ugh. I had neither the patience nor the fascination with them to enjoy raising them.

Having that revelation was SUCH a wakeup call to me--I first went through a whole guilt thing--"I don't like my own kids?" But honestly, no, I didn't. Yeah, they are cute sometimes, but most of the time they are royal pains--demanding, loud, irrational. Ugh--who would want to spend time with people like that?

So I decided that I would hide all my feelings deep inside and be the best mother I could--and apparently, I succeeded. My kids are two well-adjusted young adults who are savvy and clever and dear--even though they were both swamp rats for a while.

My daughter has NEVER been an "Ooooh, a baby!" type. She never liked dolls, and has never ever wanted to babysit. She works at a stable. And I have NEVER told her that she will probably have children--I keep the conversations very non-judgmental.

So I think some people are great for kids, and others not so much. What I wish is that cultures didn't keep perpetuating the stereotype that "Everyone should want children." Because what can then happen is neglect and abuse.

Okay--I'm done. Maybe.

EDIT: all the above doesn't mean I don't love my kids--they are part of my (for lack of a better word) soul.