Great topic.
I recently got divorced. We had been together for just under 20 years and we never had children. It was something we talked about before we got married and we decided we didn't want children. We didn't get any grief from my parents but she was an only daughter so her parents would ask from time to time when they were getting grandchildren.
The only thing that irked me about the no children thing was the questions we would get from people asking us "why are you not having children?" Like we had to justify our decision. No one ever asks "why are you having children?", but they sure ask why you are not having kids. It is like there is something wrong with you if you don't want them. I love kids, I spoil my niece and nephew. But I love other people's kids. I have never wanted my own. I have been called selfish, self-centered, and worse.
I have many reasons for not having children. Mostly they are just personal. I have never really felt the desire or had the need for someone to be that dependent upon you. I also think that the world is a very bad place and it is only going to get worse. I would not want bring a child into this world. I have no hope that this planet will be able to support the untold billions of people. When oil runs out, and water becomes scarce and the icecaps melt, and governments fall due to debt, there is going to be all out civil wars, famine, disease, floods, and extreme weather. I just have no faith in humanity.
I am going to travel, spend time with family and friends and just have some fun in my life. I am happy having no one else to worry about and just live my life the way I want to. Come and go as I please, travel at a drop of a hat, stay up late, or go to bed early, or sleep in. People say I am missing the best experience you will ever have by raising a kid. I will take their word for it. I have the best of both worlds. I don't have kids but I can spoil and have fun with my niece and nephew. I am uncle Doo with the zoom zoom car.