A video featuring a childfree man explaining why he does not want children on a first date has gone viral on TikTok. In the video, he said he had met women who treated their children like “flesh puppies” instead of viewing parenthood as a lifelong responsibility.
Childfree man explains his decision
@brinedevil posted the TikTok on June 30, 2026. The video had received 769,000 views as of publication, with its reach continuing to grow.
The man based his comments on a first date with a woman several years earlier. While they were waiting for their food, she brought up having children and wondered what their future children might look like. He then explained that he did not want to become a parent.
@brinedevil Dating as a childfree man is often a Sisyphean task of finding a rare person you vibe with only to realize they want kids, then dealing with the emotional labor of them guilting or criticizing you for that choice
Because it was their first date, he clarified that he was childfree, meaning he did not want children. When she asked him to explain, he cited the time and effort required to raise a child, the financial cost of parenting and the difficulty of balancing parenthood with a career.
He said parenting was a full-time job and that combining it with a day job would be taxing. After listening to his explanation, his date told him that his decision was selfish and reflected a stereotypical view of his role as a man.
Although he found her perspective interesting and respected it, he responded by describing some mothers he had encountered in the past. He claimed that some women treated their children like “flesh puppies.”
The content creator explained, “They just want a little pet human, and…they want to be abandoned or left alone in parenting.” He added that he believed some women expected fathers to provide mainly financial support after a child was born.
TikTok users debate the “flesh puppies” comment
Some TikTok users agreed with the man’s broader argument but criticized his use of the phrase “flesh puppy.”
He described the date and the discussion as a miserable ordeal for both of them. He told viewers that, if he ever became a father, he would want to be fully involved in raising his child rather than leaving the responsibility to the child’s mother.
Ultimately, he said some people, regardless of gender, treated parenthood too casually and failed to view it as a lifelong commitment. He described the attitudes he was discussing as “frivolous.”
In the comments, many followers and fellow TikTok users said they agreed with his overall point. Some argued that people who choose not to have children may take the responsibilities of parenthood more seriously than some parents do.
However, several commenters objected to the phrase “flesh puppies.” One user wrote, “I agree with you; however, if I ever hear the term ‘flesh puppy’ ever again, I will claw my eardrums out.”
Image Credit: TikTok | @brinedevil
The article above reflects @brinedevil’s account and opinions shared on TikTok. The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify the claims made in the video and does not take a position on choosing to have children or remain childfree.
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