And Now A Group

For The Childless, No Kidding!

By Tanjua Damon

Married and single people without children now have a club of their own.

A new childless adult group is starting in the greater Danbury area called No Kidding. Claudia and Peter Nielsen are starting the new all-volunteer, non-profit social chapter. No Kidding began in 1984 in Vancouver, BC, Canada. There are 53 chapters in the United States, Canada, and Africa.

The Danbury No Kidding chapter is holding its first social on Sunday, October 15, at 7 pm at Two Steps Downtown Grill on 5 Ives Street in Danbury. The Get Acquainted Reception cost is $15 per person. Reservations are not required, but are recommended. Other No Kidding chapters have participated in activities including hiking, wine and cheese parties, movies, theater nights, picnics, museums, and sports.

The idea is to bring adults together who have made the decision not to have children to talk and participate in activities, according to Mrs Nielsen. She emphasizes that No Kidding is a social group.

“The idea is to be able to meet other people who are in a similar situations,” she said. “We want to provide a forum, a way for people to meet who don’t have kids.”

Thirty people have already made reservations to attend the first reception, Mrs Nielsen said. At the first meeting, attendees will decide what kinds of activities they would like to be involved in and what discussions they may want to participate in.

“They can come and be involved and meet other people,” she said about why people should come. “There’s a need for something like this.”

Although the Nielsens had seen No Kidding on a Web site, the idea also became more relevant to them when they spent a weekend with family and friends, and the conversation revolved around children. Plus living in a small town like Newtown, the community is very child-oriented.

The couple both enjoy children. They have volunteered for Newtown youth activities in the past, but have decided not to have children. The Nielsons also feel a need to connect with other people who also have decided not to have children.

“I want to share ideas with other child-free adults who deal with questions from family and friends and the pressure to reproduce,” Mr Nielsen said.

For more information or to make reservations, contact Claudia Nielsen at 203/270-1284 or by e-mail at cnielsen@megahits.com. There is also a No Kidding Web site at nokidding@nokidding.bc.ca.

“We want to celebrate the positives,” Mrs Nielsen said. “I’m just happy in today’s world we can make a choice.”