‘Will I be lonely when I’m old?’ Childfree women’s alternative narratives of ageing without children in Sweden

This article draws on qualitative interviews with childfree women in Sweden to explore how they make sense of ageing in a society where parenthood shapes expectations of support, companionship and care in later life. Theories on filial obligations, the generational contract, and intergenerational solidarity, ambivalence and conflict are used to analyse how these women navigate social norms and construct alternative narratives on ageing. The findings suggest that ageing and loneliness emerge as key themes for childfree women already in their thirties, prompted by societal warnings that infer a relational deficit, epitomized by the admonition: ‘You will be alone when you get old’. Yet rather than viewing ageing without children through a lens of loss or deficit, the women emphasized alternative sources of connection and kinship outside traditional and biological family structures. By employing different techniques of neutralization, they were able to challenge societal assumptions about ageing, loneliness, family, and familial support, thereby demonstrating moral responsibility and undermining the moral authority of those questioning their childfree decision. The article contributes to the growing body of research on childfreeness by foregrounding loneliness and shifting the conversation toward a more inclusive understanding of ageing without children.