Maria Coffey has lived A LIFE. She started travelling in her teens, desparate to escape safe, settled life in the UK and see the world. From Morocco to Malawi to the remote Solomon Islands, Maria’s adventures have taken her to places and people she never would have experienced had she had children. Now 73, Maria looks back on a life full of love and loss, of risks and rewards - but no regrets! Follow Maria on Instagram and read her memor Instead: Navigating the Adventures of a Childfree Life (a ...
Jun 17, 2025•52 min
A listener asks: what do you say when a child asks, do you have kids? This one goes out to all the cool aunts, childcare professionals, and our wonderful childfree community who offered such great advice! If you have a problem you'd like the community's help with, email hello@wearechildfree.com with "Ask WAC" as the subject line. Questions from We are Childfree members get priority! To jump the queue, get episodes a week early, and find your community of childfree cheerleaders, join us at www.we...
Jun 03, 2025•45 min
OK this one’s a doozy! Even if you’re sure you want kids, society’s going to try and pressure you to doubt yourself and change your mind. And when that happens, how do you separate those external influences from your true heart’s desire. We offer some guidance, with the help of our wonderful childfree community! If you have a problem you'd like the community's help with, email hello@wearechildfree.com with "Ask WAC" as the subject line. Questions from We are Childfree members get priority! To ju...
Feb 11, 2025•34 min
We rally round a childfree couple whose friend groups are now full of parents, with little time for anything but their kids. This is such a tricky problem that we’ve all either faced or one day will, so we tapped the We are Childfree community hive mind for some stellar support and amazing advice! If you have a problem you'd like the community's help with, email hello@wearechildfree.com with "Ask WAC" as the subject line. Questions from We are Childfree members get priority! To jump the queue, g...
Jan 28, 2025•45 min
“Now I wish I'd never brought it up but mostly I'm sad and feel quite alone.” We help out a childfree woman whose partner is pushing back against her decision to get permanent birth control surgery. There’s tons of great advice from the childfree community here, about negotiating this tricky subject with your partner, what to do if they seem to be sitting on the fence, and owning what is ultimately your choice, for your life. If you have a problem you'd like the community's help with, email hell...
Jan 14, 2025•49 min
Ever wondered how van life or any kind of long term travel really works? Like, practically speaking? In this episode we answer a great question from a day one supporter about how to downsize for a life of adventure. Listen in to hear... 💪 Our brutal Marie-Kondo-on-steroids approach to shedding stuff 🗺️ The logistics of long term travel without a home base 🔮 How Essentialism (not Minimalism) helped us focus on what really matters 📚 And some big news (HUGE) from the We are Childfree team! If y...
Dec 31, 2024•33 min
Welcome to a very special episode, part 2 of our AWA - Ask WAC Anything 🙌 We welcome your questions about how to live your best childfree life and this vital project. Listen in to hear... 💝 How to navigate friendships and dating when you're childfree 😱 What to do if you fear aging alone 🦸♀️ The We are Childfree origin story 🧌 The worst trolls and how they'll never stop us! If you're worried about facing unwelcome questions this festive season, check out our FREE Childfree Holiday Survival ...
Dec 17, 2024•41 min
Welcome to a very special episode, part 1 of our AWA - Ask WAC Anything 🙌 We welcome your questions about us, our relationship, our childfree choices! Listen in to hear... 🍻 How Zoë and James met 🤪 How we've handled being "different" 💸 Who we're leaving our money to in our wills 🚐 And what it's REALLY like living in a van! If you're worried about facing unwelcome questions this festive season, check out our FREE Childfree Holiday Survival Guide 🤶👍 This podcast was brought to you by the ge...
Dec 03, 2024•41 min
This is a very special episode of the podcast! I interviewed Orna Donath, the author of Regretting Motherhood , for an exclusive We are Childfree member event, and our conversation was so full of inspiration and insight that I had to share a preview with you all. Listen in to hear how… 🔥 Regret often comes from societal pressures, not from our own choices 🔥 Choosing not to have children can be a radical act 🔥 We’re not the first! We’re continuing the legacy of women who’ve chosen to live chil...
Oct 08, 2024•41 min
Meet Lydia, a 53-year-old childfree trailblazer who welcomed us into her wonderful home in Athens, Greece, and opened up about her two decade journey to fulfilment. Her story has so much to teach us, especially that it’s never too late to embrace who you are and create the life that’s right for you 💖 This podcast was brought to you by the generous support of the We are Childfree member community. To hear the full interview, and unlock a beautiful portrait of Lydia living her best life in Athens...
Sep 24, 2024•24 min
How do you decide whether to have kids or not? That's the question from a self-proclaimed fencesitter that we put to the We are Childfree community for this classic episode of Ask WAC! (Originally published as a bonus episode on August 28, 2023) How can you even imagine life as a parent? How do you separate external pressures from your own inner feelings? Listen to find out! If you have a problem you'd like the community's help with, email hello@wearechildfree.com with "Ask WAC" as the subject l...
Aug 06, 2024•49 min
How do you decide whether to have kids or not? That's the question from a self-proclaimed fencesitter that we put to the We are Childfree community for this classic episode of Ask WAC! (Originally released as bonus episode on July 28, 2023) How can you even imagine life as a parent? How do you separate external pressures from your own inner feelings? Listen to find out! If you have a problem you'd like the community's help with, email hello@wearechildfree.com with "Ask WAC" as the subject line. ...
Jul 23, 2024•36 min
Do childfree people ever regret their decision? That's the burning question we put to the We are Childfree community for this classic episode of Ask WAC! (Originally released as a bonus episode on June 14, 2023) How many childfree people experience regret? Where does that regret come from? What does it feel like? Listen to find out! If you have a problem you'd like the community's help with, email hello@wearechildfree.com with "Ask WAC" as the subject line. Questions from We are Childfree member...
Jul 09, 2024•27 min
“How do you pave the way for your childfree future?” We help out a childfree woman who’s facing down 40 and wondering what it means for her future that she didn’t have kids? There’s tons of great advice from the childfree community here, about finding role models who inspire you, defining your own purpose and living life on your own terms! If you have a problem you'd like the community's help with, email hello@wearechildfree.com with "Ask WAC" as the subject line. Questions from We are Childfree...
Jun 25, 2024•48 min
“We both wanted kids but I’ve changed my mind - how do we talk about this?” The childfree community shares their advice and experiences with someone who’s found herself on the other side of the “kids fence” as her husband. Find out what men think about fatherhood, how to help your partner understand your side of things, and how to work to create a life that’s right for the both of you 🫶 If you have a problem you'd like the community's help with, email hello@wearechildfree.com with "Ask WAC" as ...
Jun 11, 2024•44 min
“How do you steer the conversation away from kids?” Listen in as the childfree community rallies around someone whose friends have kids going off to college, and can’t talk about anything else! Find out how to support the mothers in your life and foster reciprocal relationships, even if it sometimes means boring them to tears about your dog 🐾 If you have a problem you'd like the community's help with, email hello@wearechildfree.com with "Ask WAC" as the subject line. Questions from We are Child...
May 28, 2024•42 min
“My new coworkers keep asking me if I have kids. What should I do?” That’s the burning question we answer with the help of the childfree community, for someone who’s started a new job where the watercooler conversations are… not cool. If you have a problem you'd like the community's help with, email hello@wearechildfree.com with "Ask WAC" as the subject line. Questions from We are Childfree members get priority! To jump the queue, get episodes a week early, and find your community of childfree c...
May 14, 2024•51 min
Natasha is a British-Asian woman who was born with a bicornate uterus, who found out at 21 that carrying a child to term would be very difficult and dangerous. This helped Natasha make a careful, considered choice about being childfree, but it was the final disappointment for her traditional Hindu parents who she’s now cut out of her life. This was an eye-opening conversation about growing up in England as someone of South Asian heritage, being “not brown enough” for some people, and breaking fr...
Oct 17, 2023•58 min
We are Childfree community member Lisa Jansen is really living up to her idea of a “life done differently”. Based in New Zealand, Lisa left her cosy corporate life behind to live in a van for a summer - which turned into 5 years on the road! She’s just published a memoir called Life Done Differently , in which she shares the ups, downs and all the life-changing experiences of full-time van life. We’ll be discussing Life Done Differently in the We are Childfree book club on September 21st. To joi...
Sep 13, 2023•1 hr 5 min
How do you decide whether to have kids or not? That's the question from a self-proclaimed fencesitter that we put to the We are Childfree community for this episode of Ask WAC! How can you even imagine life as a parent? How do you separate external pressures from your own inner feelings? Listen to find out! To get the full episode, join We are Childfree today 🤗 And if you have a question or problem you'd like the community's help with, email hello@wearechildfree with "Ask WAC" as the subject li...
Aug 28, 2023•13 min
Do childfree people ever regret their decision? That's the burning question we put to the We are Childfree community for the very first episode of Ask WAC! How many childfree people experience regret? Where does that regret come from? What does it feel like? Listen to find out! Sources for this episode: The incredible We are Childfree community. Join us! MSU study confirms: 1 in 5 adults don’t want children — and they don’t regret it later Childfree by Choice: The Movement Redefining Family and ...
Jun 15, 2023•25 min
Author Sari Botton calls her hysterectomy the best thing that ever happened to her, a true blessing. An older Gen Xer, she never felt entitled to choose not to be a mother, and at 40, found herself in a fertility clinic getting a diagnosis that gave her “permission” to live a happily childfree life. Sari has such a unique perspective, and it was amazing getting to talk about embracing a choice that was chosen for you, and the forces that want to strip us of our choices. Check out Oldster Magazin...
May 23, 2023•45 min
The first man we’ve ever had on the pod! We’ve had a lot of requests to hear from couples about how they navigate the childfree choice together, so we reached out to Xander, husband and business partner of sex therapist Vanessa Marin. The couple opened up on their Pillow Talks podcast about their decision not to have children, in what proved to be their most popular episode ever! Xander told us how they arrived at their choice, and when they did, how this “domino belief” gave them permission to ...
May 09, 2023•44 min
Here's your first sip of Childfree Tea, the brand new bonus podcast from We are Childfree! Join founders Zoë and James for an emotional update on the ups and downs of running a global childfree community. Get the latest on our beautiful fur baby Olive, our wonderful coverage in The Guardian , meeting childfree icon Cindy Gallop and our plans to hit the road. To get more Childfree Tea, exclusive community interviews and answers to your burning questions, become a We are Childfree member today!...
May 02, 2023•28 min
Cindy Gallop is the older childfree role model we all need! She calls herself the “Michael Bay of business” because she likes to blow shit up - most famously as the founder of the revolutionary social sex platform MakeLoveNotPorn. Cindy never wanted children, adores being single, dates younger men casually and recreationally for sex, and doesn’t give a damn what anyone else thinks! She’s become an icon for Gen Z on TikTok, who can now say “I have seen my future and it is bright.” Join us for a p...
Apr 25, 2023•30 min
Enjoy some classic We are Childfree! My conversation with clarity coach Keltie Maguire is one of our all-time most popular episodes - we still hear from people who say this conversation has helped them either work out whether they want kids or not, or to accept their ambivalence and move forward with their lives. If you’d like more help navigating your ambivalence, check out the online workshop we’re running in collaboration with Keltie, “Kids or childfree?” . If you’re tired or making endless “...
Nov 08, 2022•1 hr 10 min
Like a lot of artists, portrait photographer Laura Zalenga is a dreamer. She imagines a future when generations live together, so the older people she met during her "Beauty of Age" project feel useful, and younger folks can benefit from their experience and wisdom. In this utopia, childfree people and parents support each other, and everyone has access to the education and choices that allow them to live the life that's right for them. What a wonderful world that would be! This was a super insp...
Oct 11, 2022•47 min
It can be hard trying to decide if you want children or not, and it can be doubly difficult when there are two people involved in the decision. That’s why I wanted to speak to today’s guest, Melanie Hunter, who went with her husband to couple’s therapy, specifically to unpack the question: should they have kids? It was fascinating to hear about how they made an intentional choice to be childfree, and heeded their therapists’ advice that, if you’re not going to make a baby, you should create some...
Sep 27, 2022•26 min
Eva zu Beck knows more than most about finding the courage to put yourself out there as a strong, childfree woman. She’s a solo adventure traveller with millions of YouTube subscribers who - like the rest of us -struggles with being real, instead of trying to be perfect. In this super candid chat we shared about trying not to minimise ourselves, about setting boundaries and taking the freedom to find ourselves over and over again. Such an inspiration! Find Eva on YouTube at Eva zu Beck and Unplu...
Sep 13, 2022•53 min
I invited Emma Hollen onto the pod because of a super-entertaining Twitter thread about her struggle to get a tubal ligation, and her eventual success, at age 30. As a pansexual, non-binary person, Emma doesn't feel that she fits the narrow definition of "woman" that society would force her into. And, as a science journalist, she taught me a lot about the diversity of the natural world, our place in the universe, and our chemical urge to procreate - which is distinct and different from some peop...
Aug 30, 2022•56 min
