About CFW²
A community for child-free women to share experiences, shatter stereotypes, and promote inclusivity in the workplace for everyone.
About Me
I’m Alysia Christiaen, a child-free woman in her 40s in London, Ontario, who realized there needed to be a space for professional women without children to share their experiences.
I’m a lawyer by day and a content creator by night (well, let’s be real, late afternoon and weekends - I rarely stay up late). My favourite place to write is a local pub, Pub Milos, with a pint of cider and then a pint of a sour.
My goals for creating CFW² are:
To provide a space for women to share their experiences of being child-free in the workplace.
To provide a voice to a segment of the sisterhood that is often forgotten.
To provide access to a perspective for those who want to learn, especially those who shape workplace policies.
Borne from a social media post
A little while ago, I shared a post on LinkedIn about the importance of the priorities of child-free women in the workplace and commented that I don’t often attend women-focused conferences as so much of the material doesn’t apply to me (a non-mom). The overwhelming response made me realize that child-free women in the workplace feel their unique needs and experiences are invisible.
My desire to start CFW² was also fueled by my experience of being child-free and navigating the work world. The question “Do you have kids?” gets asked frequently when meeting people at conferences and networking events or getting to know a new colleague. It is an innocent enough question, but for reasons I am still trying to figure out, I immediately worry that I will be judged when I respond that I’m child-free (and by choice). If you feel similarly—welcome—let’s navigate this together.
Together, we can build a community that shares perspectives and experiences so that child-free folks no longer feel judged when asked that damn question.
Alysia Christiaen
Everyone is welcome.
Whether you are child-free by choice or circumstance—or someone with children—I hope these stories will be relatable and provide fresh perspectives on the lives of those around you.