Concetta Chiarini on the Benefits of Being Childfree

Many people consider having a child to be one of life’s major milestones, but for Concetta Chiarini having a child was never something she wanted. Concetta Chiarini is part of a movement of individuals who, rather than identifying as childless, consider themselves to be childfree. For Concetta Chiarini, being childfree means retaining your autonomy as an adult to live the life that you want to lead, rather than having to organize your life around the needs of a child.

The childfree movement has been gaining momentum among young people for the last several decades. Some childfree individuals have been known to get into public scenes with parents of disruptive children, notes Concetta Chiarini, but that is not a true part of the movement as far as she is concerned. Rather, Concetta Chiarini is happy for friends who want to have children, but it also glad that she can freely travel without worrying about taking children along or finding childcare.

Another reason Concetta Chiarini is happy to be childfree is that it has given her a lot of freedom in her career as a vascular surgeon. As a surgeon, it is not uncommon for Concetta Chiarini to work nights or to be called into the hospital at two in the morning. That fast paced, frenetic life wouldn’t be possible for Concetta Chiarini if she were to have a child. As a surgeon, Concetta Chiarini doesn’t want to be “mommy-tracked” into a less competitive field; rather, being childfree has allowed Concetta Chiarini to find personal satisfaction in her work and leisure life.