No I won't be getting married but thank you for assuming

[Alex the Seal]

I think it's very important that you respond with humour or bean dip (and I LOVE your response) rather than "I don't choose to". Whether you mean to or not, "I don't choose to" will imply judgement of others' choices (which is, of course, what they may be doing to you) and invite a discussion of the subject.

The only judgement I can see implicit in that statement is "this choice would not be right for me". Which is a judgement in the sense of a considered evaluation.

It would only sound like a judgement in the perjorative sense if the hearer believes that everyone who doesn't mirror their life choices is judging them perjoratively. Which is probably the whole root of this problem, as others have pointed out.

Humour is a great technique for avoiding aggravation, but I don't think there's anything wrong with "I don't choose to".

[StoutGirl]

Thank God I am not the only one out there that has this same problem!  Ever since I was about 14, my uncles, especially one in particular, have been asking me when am I going to get a boyfriend or if I have a boyfriend yet.  I am in my early 20s and have chosen to focus on my college studies and to embrace my freedom for the time being, but they can't seem to accept this.  I have decided that the next time they ask me, I am going to ask them for $50 since as many times as they have asked me, I could probably have my schooling paid off.

[Eisa]

I do love your response, OP.

I do want to get married, but I definitely don't want children. The number of things some people have said about that choice is mind-blowing...and most of them are terribly offensive. It's like by not wanting children, I'll never be a true woman or something, and that attitude is ridiculous to me. It's like, if you want to have children, that's fine. If you don't want to, that's fine, too.

[jedikaiti]

However, everyone and their dog keeps asking when I'm due, as if I'm already pregnant!

I read this and started giggling...

"Whaddya mean, 'when am I due?' I'm a human being, not a library book!"

[Ginya]

However, everyone and their dog keeps asking when I'm due, as if I'm already pregnant!

I read this and started giggling...

"Whaddya mean, 'when am I due?' I'm a human being, not a library book!"

I love this!! I'm going to file this away for future use! 

[Yvaine]

My mother used to hound me all the time about getting married and having kids.  My standard reply was "I'd rather be content alone then miserable with someone else."  It took a few years before she finally gave up.  (Or was that she finally got grandchildren that made her give up on me?  )

  Yeah, my mom has laid off me about grandchildren now that she has six from my siblings! Now she talks about her grandpuppies, my dog and the dog of one of my sisters who also doesn't have kids.