I have to agree with what everyone else has said, do not have much more to add!
I get it all the time "you take more pics of the dog/cat'' "if you ever have a kid you won't be able to afford the processing of the film''
I am 28 years old, very single, and have no desire to have kids at this time. Do I get a pang of jealousy or sadness when I see people my age/younger with engagement rings/wedding rings on their fingers, spouse in hand, children in tow? Sometimes yes.
Do I get happiness and fulfillment and unconditional love from my pets. Definately Yes!! Never just sometimes.
I had a patient at work the other nite that was a SCREAMING one year old. The mother ( who was a nasty witch btw) kept asking me if I saw anything on the kids xrays. I kept telling her 'I am legally not allowed to tell you anything, that is what the Dr. does. If I tell you something that is wrong, I could lose my job, and my license (xray)" Finally after the THIRD time I told her that she says nastily "FINE" then "DO YOU HAVE CHILDREN?" I said "No" she said "WELL THEN"....... I was soooooo upset. It makes no difference or not whether I have children. My job depends on me NOT telling the patient anything. I am not a doctor.
The only good thing is that legally I didn't do anything wrong. Morally either b/c the law would stand behind me b/c I did exactly what I was supposed to. Like the excuse, "Well I don't have children" would have stood up in court when the witch of the mother decided to sue me b/c I told her the wrong thing!!! But if she might have been paying attention her kid wouldn't have pulled a dresser down on himself. Tho accidents happen. gggrrr
My sister had her first child, got a puppy then had her second. She refers to herself and my brother in law as mommy and daddy to Scooby. And her sons as Scooby's 'boys'. She is extremely protective of Scooby and Keegan when the boys are around.
A couple weeks ago I went to the Nat'l weiner dog races and there was a woman there with her family Holding her 14 year old weiner dog like a baby and she kept passing her around to her kids. They all took turns holding her and kissing her on the head and loving on her. They were all teenagers. I thought that was so cool b/c it takes a special person ( just like us pet talkers) to raise your children to be that devoted to a little 14 year old weiner dog that was so content when those kids were holding her she simply fell asleep.