Author Jane Fallon has said she has no regrets about not having children with her long-term partner, comedian Ricky Gervais. In a personal essay, Fallon revealed that she never felt maternal instincts, even as a child, and that the decision to remain child-free was a conscious one that she and Gervais both made.
Fallon, 58, said she gave the matter considerable thought over the years, ultimately concluding that she would not make a good mother. 'I am too much of a worrier,' she wrote. 'I know I would have stifled any kids I had with my overprotectiveness.' She added that she would have made them 'paranoid and fearful' without meaning to.
The author admitted that she occasionally imagines what it would be like to have children, but always reminds herself of the realities. 'I’ve done the right thing,' she said. However, she noted that she recently felt a pang of jealousy when a friend announced she was going to be a grandmother, as she realised she will never have grandchildren herself.
Fallon described grandchildren as 'the Furbies of the offspring world' – cute and fun to play with, but able to be handed back. She acknowledged that being a grandparent is 'all about the fun stuff' and a reward for the years of stress involved in raising children.
