The Kids or Childfree Podcast

87. Melissa Guida-Richards on The Nuances of Adoption

In this conversation, Keltie sits down with transracial adoptee, author, and advocate, Melissa Guida-Richards, for a conversation about adoption, and the considerations prospective adoptive parents need to make. They discuss: * Melissa's personal experience as an adoptee, and why it's critical that we listen to and learn from adoptees. * The key question prospective adoptive parents need to ask themselves before they adopt. * The myth that adopting an infant offers that child — and its adoptive parents — a "fresh start." * Why adoption agencies who encourage people to adopt outside of their adoption preferences, can be problematic. * The different kinds of adoption, and the respective practical and ethical considerations that must be made. As mentioned in the show: Find Melissa on Instagram at @adoptee_thoughts [https://www.instagram.com/adoptee_thoughts] Her website is www.adopteethoughts.com [https://www.adopteethoughts.com/books/] Purchase Melissa's book and it's accompanying workbook, What White Parents Should Know About Transracial Adoption: adopteethoughts.com/books [https://www.adopteethoughts.com/books/] For adoption resources, check out adoptionsupport.org [https://adoptionsupport.org/] (C.A.S.E) and adopteementorship.org [https://www.adopteementorship.org/]. About Melissa: Melissa Guida-Richards is a transracial adoptee, author, and advocate whose work explores child welfare, adoption influencers ethics and reform. She is the author of What White Parents Should Know About Transracial Adoption and she's had her writing and interviews featured on national platforms including NBC, Good Day LA and Tamron Hall. She is currently working on her next book with her agent, Kat Kerr, from Donald Maass Literary Agency. You can find her @adoptee_thoughts or AdopteeThoughts.com. __ Check out our brand-new Kids or Childfree On Demand collection [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/ondemand]. Check out our free resources here [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/free-resources], or at kidsorchildfree.com/free-resources https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/responseguideAnd don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review The Kids or Childfree Podcast if you love what you're hearing! You can leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/the-kids-or-childfree-podcast/id1720765874], or a rating on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1H8Cjavw0ThIxFUyxlNnzA?si=X0tu4janTi-5OsMdoHPZbg]. Find us online at www.kidsorchildfree.com [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/]. Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kidsorchildfree]: www.instagram.com/kidsorchildfree

86. Ask Anne with Childfree 91-Year-Old Anne Wennhold

In this episode, Keltie is joined by past guest, Anne Wennhold — a 91-year-old who is childfree by choice — for a special "Ask Anne" Q&A. Keltie and Anne discuss... * Why the 70s and 80s were the best years of Anne's life. * Why Anne often finds it difficult relating to other people her age. * How we can handle the difficulties and challenges that inevitably will arise in our lives. * Anne's secret to maintaining friendships with parents. * How Anne has navigated seeing her friends and loved ones die. * Perspectives on who to leave your possessions and money to when you die as a childfree person. As mentioned in the show: Listen to Anne's first appearance on the podcast in Episode 62 [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/podcast/episode/2b7ea0b5/62-anne-wennhold-on-being-childfree-by-choice-at-90]. Here's the Conscious Eldering blog post [https://www.centerforconsciouseldering.com/2024/01/05/navigating-the-tipping-point-a-journey-into-elderhood/] that Anne wrote which we discussed. About Anne: Here's Anne in her words: "I live alone in northern New Jersey. I was widowed at an early age, have no children by choice. My chosen family is scattered about the USA and available by phone and Zoom. At 90 years old, I am focused on working with elders who are interested in continuing to grow as human and spiritual beings, and sharing with them all aspects of living to an older age including having children or not." __ Check out our brand-new Kids or Childfree On Demand collection [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/ondemand]. Check out our free resources here [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/free-resources], or at kidsorchildfree.com/free-resources https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/responseguideAnd don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review The Kids or Childfree Podcast if you love what you're hearing! You can leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/the-kids-or-childfree-podcast/id1720765874], or a rating on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1H8Cjavw0ThIxFUyxlNnzA?si=X0tu4janTi-5OsMdoHPZbg]. Find us online at www.kidsorchildfree.com [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/]. Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kidsorchildfree]: www.instagram.com/kidsorchildfree

85. Lisa Patterson on Reinventing Parenting Gender Norms

In this episode, Keltie is joined by friend, Lisa Patterson, who shares how her and her partner are navigating parenting roles in a way that goes against traditional norms. Hear Keltie and Lisa discuss... * How Lisa made the decision to become a parent, despite it not having been a part of her life's "success criteria" * How she and her partner have communicated about and negotiated their respective parenting roles * The way others have responded to Lisa and Andy's role reversal of "primary" and "secondary" parent * The perks of raising a child outside of the U.S. * The tension between and trouble fitting the all-or-nothing categories of "mom" vs. "career woman". As mentioned in the show Find Lisa on Instagram at instagram.com/captlisann [https://www.instagram.com/captlisann/] About Lisa Lisa Patterson is an outdoor enthusiast, tech nerd, vinophile and working mom. __ Join an upcoming Kids or Childfree workshop here: kidsorchildfree.com/workshop [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/workshop] Check out our free resources here [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/free-resources], or at kidsorchildfree.com/free-resources https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/responseguideAnd don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review The Kids or Childfree Podcast if you love what you're hearing! You can leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/the-kids-or-childfree-podcast/id1720765874], or a rating on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1H8Cjavw0ThIxFUyxlNnzA?si=X0tu4janTi-5OsMdoHPZbg]. Find us online at www.kidsorchildfree.com [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/]. Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kidsorchildfree]: www.instagram.com/kidsorchildfree TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@kidsorchildfree]: www.tiktok.com/@kidsorchildfree

84. Keltie Maguire on Recent Reflections on my Kids or Childfree Choice

In this solo episode, Keltie shares recent musings, insights, and reflections about her choice to stay childfree. She's sharing... * How her and Chris's aging parents' needs are intersecting with their decision not to have kids. * The changing seasons of friendships, and how things ebb and flow with and without kids in the picture. * How she personally feels about legacy and the concept of "ancestral flow". * What she's enjoying and appreciating most about her childfree life lately. As mentioned in the show: Listen to the Death, Sex, and Money: To Have Kids or Not Have Kids podcast episode [https://open.spotify.com/episode/0YGg2lZ3NK7agtT6iPp3Dz?si=NI_kyZXfSpu3mbctMjgSxg]. __ Join our upcoming Kids or Childfree Support Series session [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/kids-or-childfree-support-series] or Confidently Childfree Support Series session [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/confidently-childfree-support-series]. Check out our free resources here [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/free-resources], or at kidsorchildfree.com/free-resources https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/responseguideAnd don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review The Kids or Childfree Podcast if you love what you're hearing! You can leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/the-kids-or-childfree-podcast/id1720765874], or a rating on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1H8Cjavw0ThIxFUyxlNnzA?si=X0tu4janTi-5OsMdoHPZbg]. Find us online at www.kidsorchildfree.com [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/]. Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kidsorchildfree]: www.instagram.com/kidsorchildfree

83. Helen Taylor on The Meaning and Legacy of a Childfree Life

In this latest podcast episode, Keltie Maguire speaks with Helen Taylor — feminist, retired university professor, and writer — about her choice to live a childfree life and her new memoir, Childless by Choice: The Meaning and Legacy of a Childfree Life. Keltie and Helen discuss: * Helen's personal journey of childfree living, including the influences that shaped her decision. * The challenges of choosing the childfree path — and the freedoms it has afforded her. * Helen's abortion experience in early adulthood, and whether she ever thinks about the child she could have had. * How life without children can lead to deeper adult relationships and friendships. * The societal stigmas surrounding childlessness, and the difficulties and blessings of being childfree at age 77 * The role that regret, meaning, and legacy play for Helen, as a woman without children. As mentioned in the show Find Helen online at www.helen-taylor.co.uk [https://www.helen-taylor.co.uk] She's on Bluesky at bsky.app/profile/helentaylor67.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/helentaylor67.bsky.social] Find Helen at the following upcoming events: helen-taylor.co.uk/events [https://www.helen-taylor.co.uk/events] About Helen Helen Taylor has published books on women's writing, American southern culture, and women fiction readers. Her latest much-acclaimed work is Why Women Read Fiction: The Stories of Our Lives [https://www.helen-taylor.co.uk/books#why-women-read-fiction]. Her best-known works focus on popular writing and culture: Scarlett's Women: Gone With the Wind and its Female Fans [https://www.helen-taylor.co.uk/books#scarletts-women], The Daphne du Maurier Companion [https://www.helen-taylor.co.uk/books#the-daphne-du-maurier-companion], and Circling Dixie: Contemporary Southern Culture through a Transatlantic Lens [https://www.helen-taylor.co.uk/books#circling-dixie]. Her new book is Childless by Choice: The Meaning and Legacy of a Child-free Life [https://www.helen-taylor.co.uk/books#childless-by-choice]. She taught English and American literature at three universities – West of England, Warwick and Exeter, where she was Head of English and is now Emeritus Professor. She has published widely on the literature and culture of the American South, as well as British and American women's writing. For many years, she has been a Chair, Curator and participant in many literary festivals, including Bath, Cheltenham, Oxford, Fowey, Budleigh Salterton and Clifton, and she was the first Director of the Liverpool Literature Festival. She is currently writing a book on Daphne du Maurier for the series 'Writers and Their Works'. She lives in Bristol. __ Join an upcoming Kids or Childfree workshop here: kidsorchildfree.com/workshop [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/workshop] Check out our free resources here [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/free-resources], or at kidsorchildfree.com/free-resources https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/responseguideAnd don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review The Kids or Childfree Podcast if you love what you're hearing! You can leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/the-kids-or-childfree-podcast/id1720765874], or a rating on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1H8Cjavw0ThIxFUyxlNnzA?si=X0tu4janTi-5OsMdoHPZbg]. Find us online at www.kidsorchildfree.com [https://www.kidsorchildfree.com/]. Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kidsorchildfree]: www.instagram.com/kidsorchildfree TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@kidsorchildfree]: www.tiktok.com/@kidsorchildfree