But what would life be without them?
It would be no life without them:') I enjoy my quiet time now that they are grown and am doing more "me things" but I would not have done it differently.
This may come as a shock to you and others but life without them can be pretty nice.
I decided at around age 18 (really and this may not be unusual for males) that I didn't want children and followed through. Today, I'm an old man, financially secure, largely due to not having to pay for the support of children through the years, and especially their higher education costs, and content with my situation. My wife of 35 years, our beloved dogs, and I live in a nice house situated in 23 acres of woodland.
And you know what? I don't think that I missed a thing.