14. Kate Kaufmann on Being an Unabashed Childfree Elder

Author Kate Kaufmann shares her journey of choosing to be childfree after trying to have children alongside much valuable wisdom gleaned over her 70-plus years of life without kids.

You'll hear about:

• The challenges and grief associated with this decision and how her identity shifted over time.
• The importance of intergenerational relationships and the value of having childless elders in her life.
• Practical aspects of aging without children, such as making end-of-life arrangements and having a support network in place.
• The capacity and stability that come with not having children and the richness of relationships that can be formed in different ways.
• Why individuals may not fit neatly into the categories of childless or childfree, and how one's feelings and experiences may change over time.

As mentioned on the show:

Find out more about Kate and her work at www.katekaufmann.com

You can read Kate's column over at Psychology Today here: www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/unapparent

Learn about and purchase Kate's book, Do You Have Kids? Life When the Answer is No, here.

About Kate:

International, award-winning author of Do You Have Kids? Life When the Answer is No, Kate Kaufmann advocates for better understanding of the childless/childfree demographic in person, on air, and in print. A popular speaker, media guest, and conversation-starter, Kate has an MFA in creative writing and professional background in human resources and consulting. Outlets where her work has been featured include NBC, CBC Radio, Psychology Today, and the Washington Post.

Kate's mission is to open doors to frank, respectful conversations between the childless and childfree, as well as among parents, non-parents, and those whose futures are as yet unclear.

Kate's book Do You Have Kids? Life When the Answer is No has been published in North America, the United Kingdom, Taiwan, Brazil, and Korea, with a Chinese edition forthcoming.

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