Married... with children

[Anuket]

If you were Chinese and lives in the mainland, then yes neither are avoidable. Eventually your parents would look for someone to have you arranged and have you doing the whole marriage business faster than you can spell the word divorce. But seeing as most of you don't then you pretty much have a say about it, you can choose. Just like the American way I was told by many foreign friends, "There's always a choice."

In my opinion, yes you can avoid marriage and probably even children but it has always bothered me that this way of thinking of avoidance only means that you haven't found the right person. Judge me for saying that but that's what I really think of when I meet someone in their 30s and still has no plan about marriage and/or children. Maybe it's just because of the way I was raised - the all-so-conservative - idea of family, but that's just how I see it.

Wouldn't you get lonely when you're old and there's no one their to keep you warm or even be their just for the sake of companionship?

[miniPhil]

I will not get married, and I most certainly will not have kids. I actually get really annoyed when people say otherwise because it implies that I'm some sort of idiot that doesn't know what they want.

It's not so much that people think you're an idiot but rather that you're only 19. People change all the time, we grow and our opinions don't stay the same. I'm 20, I don't want to get married but who knows what can happen in ten or twenty years.

[DOOM!]

Is marriage unavoidable? Is having children unavoidable? Personally, I don't plan on getting married or having children, but my dad thinks no matter what I do I will meet a girl who will get me to get married and have children.

What do you guys think? Are these things inevitable or can you make the decision to not get married or have children and stick with it?

Technically of course you can go through life without getting married or having children, so I suppose the real underlying question here would be "Does society substantially stress marriage and children on individuals?"

Oh, don't you worry your little head; you don't risk finding a significant other, spreading your genes and raising a house and responsible lifestyle to shelter them much. Some people actually strive hard to acquire that. Chances, in fact, are you'll be dead from heart failure in your sleep with your head on a nyo-neko-futanari-something pillow at age 40 and no one will find out till they break in because your rent will be due.

[Senjou_Akira]

i don't really want to die with only having my friends or relatives by my side.
honestly, i'm fond with kids. i do want to get married to the right person and have a happy family.
it's just somehow, i want to spend my old and mature years living for someone's benefit, that would be for my children.

[Shinn Kamiyra]

With regards to the OP, neither having children nor getting married are inevitabilities. However, we live in a society* where many people believe otherwise and force their expectations on others.

Personally, I don’t plan on getting married or having children, but my dad thinks no matter what I do I will meet a girl who will get me to get married and have children.

I will not get married, and I most certainly will not have kids. I actually get really annoyed when people say otherwise because it implies that I’m some sort of idiot that doesn’t know what they want.

It’s not that their intentions are necessarily bad; it’s just that they, for the most part, never stop to seriously consider that what worked for them won’t work for someone else. IMO, some people are much better off not being married or having children. It doesn’t say anything, for good or bad, about them. It’s just who they are.

When all is said and done, we’re all still people who are capable of making our own choices. If you aren’t comfortable with the idea of marriage of having children, then don’t. Or, as I prefer to say it: “It’s your life, so live it up however the hell you want!”

* Refers to US society

[manslayer101]

Actually, I think it has less to do with other people (unless your are easily influenced) and more with the individual and their experiences. If you would've asked me this question a couple of years back or so, I would've told you "I don't wanna have kids". I already wanted marriage, but I didn't really care for kids, but things changed. Now I'm desiring to have children, it's actually part of what I want to accomplish.

The marriage thing, well I feel it's important to get married rather than being with multiple partners. Yes that means commitment, but it's better than being attached to multiple people. I think that stuff can screw you up after a while, having multiple partners I mean, and then it just becomes like something to do on a friday evening.

Anyway, to sum up, I think it's up to the individual.

I think Marriage should be done if you plan on "bow chicka wow wow". (hmmm....bow chicka...)
I think children really depend on you and how much you can deal with them. They can be hectic, but in my opinion the good stuff outweighs the bad stuff.

[Hypatia]

If you feel that you don't want to have a commitment like marriage or whatever your reason is then chances are that that person won't get married. Some women don't want to get married but they want children.
Whether or not marriage is stressed or not depends on where a person is living and their culture.
For me I do not plan to get married even though people I meet say that all young woman get married.

[Infinita]

Is marriage unavoidable? Well, see, some people stay engaged for a very long time and never get married. Marriages are very expensive in this day and age and some people don't want to spend a massive amount of money on something like that. Personally, I would rather be engaged for a long time before even thinking of getting married. It's a good way to know that the person you have with is faithful to you and what not.

Is haveing children unavoidable? Having children can be avoidable if you are smart about it. I understand the fact that accidents can happen and not every contraception is 100% for sure. I personally believe this is a personal choice. If you want children or not or have them when you're young or when you're ready.

All in all, you don't have to get married. You can get engaged and remain that way. As for children, that's really a personal choice if you want to or not. When it comes down to it all, it's more of a personal choice than being pressured. I do see that society does stress that marriage is important and that having kids is important but it should be the individual's personal choice to want those things.

I know for a fact I don't want children till I am ready and who knows when that would be and as for being engaged...that will come with time. :3

[Nene-Chan]

No matter what anyone else does or want's you do to later in life. Marriage and having children is of course optional. It's your life, and you should be the invetable one to shape your future the way you want right? Why else are we provided with a mind of our own? To decide on the action's we take in life of course.

[Megamind's Minion]

both is a person's choice...
if either will make you happy and lets you escape from such an unhappy existence...
then go ahead.. go for it...