A Conference for Childless and Childfree Women? What Is THAT Like?

"I didn't know what to expect, but I had to be here."

That was the most repeated description of our first-ever conference for women without children by choice or by chance in 2015, The NotMom Summit. More than anything else, comments like that are how we KNOW that there is value in an event that draws together women without children from around the world.

Madison Avenue has yet to get a clue about the strength of our community, but we know, don't we?

We've found that many people (far too often, men) imagine the Summit to be a group of brokenhearted women getting drunk together. Yeah, some of us may be brokenhearted, and some of us may get drunk, but not for the reasons those guys think.

As far as we know, The NotMom Summit is the world's only event for women who are not mothers, regardless of cause. How could anyone planning to attend the October 2017 event in Cleveland, Ohio know what to expect? Get a clue:

1) Shoulders down. For two days, as long as you are in the event hotel, at least, no one will ask if you have kids. Imagine it. Can you?

2) No phone pic anxiety. When another woman reaches for her phone while saying, "You've gotta see this!", it will be a photo of her garden or house, or pet that she wants to share; not her children.

3) New friends with big differences: You might arrive planning to connect with women just like you, women without children by choice or by chance. Instead, after two days, you may want to stay connected to a woman who is your opposite long after the Summit ends.

4) New friends from far away: You might arrive planning to connect with women just like you, women without children by choice or by chance. who live near you. Instead, after two days, you may want to stay connected to a woman who lives in another US state, or another country.

5) It was worth it: Whatever struggle it took for you to join other childless and childfree women for two days of insightful programming and fun -- money, travel hassles, emotional struggles, etc. -- after two days, on your way back home, you will find yourself thinking that it was DEFINITELY worth it.

(Image Credit: Attendees at The NotMom Summit, 2015)