One night when I was waiting tables at a restaurant, my boss and I had a conversation about a table who defied the typical stereotypes and we were both pleasantly pleased. Anyone who has waited tables knows about the stereotypes of certain customers… but without going into them, sorry!, let me just say they are there for a reason. It’s always nice, though, when they get proved wrong. And this got me thinking…

It’s a common stereotype that women, especially those in their thirties, are baby crazy and looking to settle down so they can have children. Well…..

I’m one of those who defy this stereotype. I’m thirty-four and I do not want children. When I was in my twenties, I was on the fence about the whole baby thing. Never being one to have that maternal instinct but rather one who craved a filmmaking career, I didn’t give children much thought. But then, when I entered my thirties, I began to think of whether or not it was something I wanted because obviously nature has a clock in regards to this. Around this time, my brother and sister-in-law had a child and because of my flexible schedule, I became a weekly babysitter to my beautiful nephew. At first, I wasn’t thrilled about changing diapers and dealing with baby issues but as soon as he came into this world, I fell in love with him more than I thought I was even capable of. He and I have become incredibly close since and I cherish him but my nephew helped me learn that although I think I am great at being an aunt, I am not made to be a parent. And I truly came to the realization that plain and simple, I don’t want children of my own.

Now, back to the stereotypes. Many say women want babies and are baby crazy and trying to get a guy to start a family but you know what, being on the other end of the stick, as a women who doesn’t want babies, let me tell you. It’s not just women. Men can be just as baby crazy. And being a woman in her thirties who doesn’t want children, I have come to think it can be more difficult than being a woman who does, because most men out there want children.

Anyway, my point of writing this blog is to demonstrate that while stereotypes may exist for a reason, they are not true in all circumstances so take heed the next time you so quickly apply them.

Trust me. There are exceptions.

And thank God for that because for me, who doesn’t like speaking in generalities, one of the coolest things in life is when stereotypes are proved wrong.