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This is arguably the toughest it will ever get. It's very normal to feel all kinds of tough emotions right now. If this were climbing Mount Everest, you'd be near the top.

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Or maybe they’ll run away at sixteen to join a gang.

You are probably right! But you might be assuming I wanted kids before I realized it wasn't all I'd hoped. I never really wanted them but said ok to my partner. I figured that most of the nicer and more fulfilled older people I knew had kids. Then again now I wonder if that's because there are plenty of older fulfilled people without kids off doing their thing and not interacting with the likes of me.

85% of women eventually have at least one child. So there are older folks out there without kids, but it's a relatively small group.

I'm sorry to hear you never wanted kids. I guess it's more complicated if you were sure beforehand that it's not for you. I hope you're able to balance the love with the effort.

Give it time. It is hard work, but it gets easier as it goes along. I'd brace yourself for about 5 years of it being relentless but slowly getting easier. By which point, although it will still not be easy you should at least be regularly getting some time to yourself to recharge.

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