Claiming Zero

Well ladies and gents the day has come. It is time for me to hang up my podcast mic.  Will it be forever?  Why now? What's next? And am I still on the fence? I answer all if that and more in this final episode. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Thank you for the laughs, the love, the growth, the safe space. Thank you for being a huge part of my life. I love you all and I am always just...

What if opting out wasn’t about selfishness… but about conviction?  In this episode of Claiming Zero, I take a deep dive into the life of Mark Boyle, better known as The Moneyless Man. He gave up money. He later gave up modern technology. And in his early 30s, he chose to have a voluntary vasectomy — deciding not to bring children into what he believes is an overconsuming world. We explore: The mi...

This week on Claiming Zero, I’m reading and reacting to two very honest Reddit threads — one from the Reddit community r/regretfulparents and the other from r/childfree. In the first post, parents were asked: “Are you envious of your childfree by choice friends?" And they did not hold back.  Commenters talked about: Watching childfree friends travel freely Having disposable income Being able...

What if choosing not to have children didn’t limit your love—but actually saved it? In this personal episode of Claiming Zero, I share the real, unfiltered story of my 20- year journey with my partner, Devin. From meeting at 13 years old, to being friends with benefits in our twenties, to officially choosing each other years later—our relationship has not been linear, easy, or perfect. We’ve exper...

In today's episode of Claiming Zero, I sit down with a dear friend, author, speaker, ministry leader, and founder of a nonprofit serving foster youth, to talk honestly about faith, waiting, and purpose. She once believed she’d be a mom by now. She was married. She hoped. She waited. And then life took an unexpected turn. Now in her thirties, single, and deeply rooted in her faith, she shares...

This week on Claiming Zero, we explore the extraordinary life of Queen Elizabeth I—one of history’s most powerful monarchs and one of its most iconic childfree leaders. Born into danger, crowned in turmoil, and reigning for 45 years, Elizabeth’s story is one of intellect, strategy, and self-determination. We’ll unpack: 👑 Her upbringing in a fractured royal family, the shock of losing her mother a...

In this episode of Claiming Zero we are headed back to the r/AITAH channel for a post that sparked intense reactions about parenting, divorce, and child-free relationships. An ex-wife, 2 kiddos, a childfree woman and a man stuck in the middle. When his family jumps in with assumptions, accusations, and a whole lot of feelings he turns to reddit for clarity.  Why is it so wrong for him to want a ne...

In the age of turning to technology over talking with others I was curious what the 10 most Googled questions about childfree living are. So today, I'm giving my most honest responses to the questions people are curious about but don’t always feel comfortable asking out loud. What are the benefits of a child-free lifestyle? Does being child-free affect relationships, marriage, and partner com...

In this episode I am making history on the podcast by sitting down with a mom for the first time in the show's existence! Victoria is a proud mother in the thick of early parenthood and today she joins me to me to talk openly about the assumptions, misunderstandings, and quiet struggles that exist on both sides. This isn’t a debate. It’s not “us vs. them.” It’s a real conversation about coexi...

Harriet Tubman is often remembered as a hero — but rarely discussed as a woman who lived child-free by circumstance. In this episode, we explore Harriet Tubman’s life beyond the history books: her childhood in slavery, the traumatic injury that shaped her faith and resilience, her escape to freedom, and her fearless return south to lead dozens to freedom. We also dive into her marriages, her priva...

Just in time for the holidays today I am reading a post from the r/childfree community that perfectly captures a childfree holiday nightmare. What starts as a Thanksgiving dinner quickly turns into that all-too-familiar interrogation we all dread having when this poster's aunt starts questioning her choice to no have kids.  In this episode I break down why holiday gatherings are often a breed...

It's the debut of Season 6 of Claiming Zero and these time around I am starting it off with a big update! This season Vanessa will be hosting solo. New chapter, same honesty. Starting with why your childfree-by-choice decision owes no-one any explanations.  If you've ever heard "You'll change your mind" or "You must hate children" or "You'll never know...

Today we chat with author, illustrator, and content creator Emma Duval! You may know her content on instagram @millennialemma or heard of her online community "Childfree History Museum" already but Emma is not only a voice for the childfree people of her own generation. On this episode she shares with us her passion for storytelling and the lessons she has learned from the legacies of th...

In today's episode Vanessa takes us down the Pink Pony Road to learn about the life and legacy of childfree queer pop sensation Chappell Roan! From her humble beginnings in Willard Missouri to snagging a Grammy for Best New Artist her story is nothing but extraordinary and one that Devin is very aware of already! Can Vanessa do the story justice to a super fan like Devin? Give it a listen and...

Today's Reddit post comes from the subreddit r/whatshouldido and it's a doozy. He's 19, his girlfriend is 21. They just found out they are expecting. She is excited but he is terrified. What should he do and how should he tell her? Devin breaks it down from a young male perspective and Vanessa is sifting through the harsh truth comments. What would your advice to him be? Tell us you...

Have you ever wondered where all the childfree hotspots are in the U.S.? This week we break down the Top 10 Cities with the Fewest Kids according to the 2020 Census. Join us as we rank, roast and rave about the best and worst reasons to live in each of these mostly childfree cities.  Support the show Email: claimingzeropodcast@gmail.com IG/FB: @claimingzero

She's an admissions counselor by day, PhD student by night and childfree by choice 24/7. Today we are talking to the other half of the Rios family from season 5 episode 4, Clarissa! She walks us through growing up in Texas to settling down in Vegas and all the fun hobbies she has collected along the way.  If you would like to be a guest on the show email or direct message us on Instagram or F...

He's played heroes, lovers, and legends but off screen Andrew Garfield is just a chill, quick-witted Brit living his best childfree life. He may have left the Spidey suit behind but today Devin tells us how he is still swinging through life and how his childfree choice has changed over the years.   Support the show Email: claimingzeropodcast@gmail.com IG/FB: @claimingzero

"We all have our big reasons for not wanting kids. Having time to sleep, being able to save extra money, fear of pregnancy, not wanting to bring a child into the current state of the world. But what is a secondary reason that makes being childfree a great choice?" That is the reddit question we are diving into today.  For Vanessa it's all the PTA meetings and brownie bake sales and...

Us: "Hey Chat! We don't have kids so we have all this extra time, what should we do with it??" Chat: "Let's make a podcast episode about it!" Today we are using AI for the good of all childfree people. How many people are childfree on dating apps? Are people without kids truly happier and better off financially? There are the hot topic questions we are digging into to...

She's an artist and podcast host spending all her extra money and time at the Eras Tour and he's a man working in finance making sure they have the money to support her Eras Tour dream! In this episode Kate and Reed share their story of young love turned into a real life happily ever after and why they BOTH chose to go through sterilization.  Check out Kate's podcast @planetaryprinc...

Comedian, Emmy award winner, television host but most impressively the son of Patricia. Today Vanessa takes us all the way to South Africa where the child 'born a crime' becomes the man who fights for justice.  Send us your himstory/herstory requests and don't forget to tell us how you got your name! Support the show Email: claimingzeropodcast@gmail.com IG/FB: @claimingzero

You don't have kids but if you did, how would your parents show up for them? That is the rabbit hole Vanessa went down on reddit this week and today she is bringing all the hot takes from the r/Millennials.  Send us your hot take at claimingzeropodcast@gmail.com. Support the show Email: claimingzeropodcast@gmail.com IG/FB: @claimingzero

On today's episode, we dig in to what life is like before and after you become the "fun auntie/uncle" to your friend's kids. The celebration of new life and the mourning of a friendship that will never be the same. Today we talk about it all and how we have navigated the many seasons of life with both parents and non parents.  Support the show Email: claimingzeropodcast@gmail.c...

It's the first guest if season 5 and we're starting off with our friend and favorite human from O'Donnell, Texas, Izia! From a town with a total population of 800 to a city just over 3 million life looks a little different these days for him but one thing remains the same, his childfree choice. From RV'ing with his wife, puppies, and cats to studying for his CPA Izia doesn&apos...