Kids Before 30 (Or Not): A Dr. Seuss-Inspired Poem About the Choice Nobody Warned You About

Inspired by Dr. Seuss’ Fox on Sox, so you can tell what path I’ve chosen

Kiddos before you’re thirty?

Whirl-y, twirl-y, hurty, flirty!

Diaper-wipes and sleepless nights,

Tiny tots with tiny plights.

But wait, oh wait, there’s more to say,

Money woes and bills to pay.

Cents and dollars, time that flies,

Parts of you that say goodbyes.

Sacrifice and self, oh my!

Dreams on shelves that sit and sigh.

You’ll lose a bit, you’ll give a lot,

Wondering what you have and what you’ve not.

Find yourself adrift, oh gee!

Where did you go? Where could you be?

Rediscover, yes you will,

But can you juggle both, still?

Some say, “Wait! Don’t rush, be still,

Wait until you climb that hill.

Wait until you’re settled down,

Wait until you wear that crown.”

Millennials, oh dear, they run, they dash!

Crisis here, then another flash.

Life’s a whirlwind, a spinning top,

Who has time to sit and stop?

Political woes and climates grim,

Who wants to raise a child in them?

Economy shaky, futures unclear,

Who would choose to parent here?

And then we see a shining truth,

Black women finding their own youth.

With strength and grace, they find their way,

Not defined by kids today.

Marriage? Babies? Not the only path,

They find their joy in their own laugh.

Choose their route, and set their course,

With power, pride, without remorse.

So kids before thirty? It’s not one size fits all,

It’s a personal choice, both big and small.

Some will choose it, some will not,

And that, my friend, is a perfect spot.

For life is a journey, with twists and with bends,

And each one of us writes our own story’s end.

So whether with kids or without, we’ll see,

The best thing to be is just who we’ll be.