Find Out If You Are Ready To Become A Parent

Have you told your partner that you are ready to become a parent? Or are you still hesitant? If you are not afraid to find out if you are really ready to become a parent, look for the answer in yourself. No one else can answer it better than you can.

However, we can try to help you find the answer to your question. Keep reading to get our suggestions on what to consider. Your answers may indicate whether you are ready to become a parent.

Are you ready to become a parent?

As we mentioned above, there is no exact science that can tell you for sure if you are ready to become a parent. Having a child is a completely personal decision. However, there are some signs that can help you assess whether you are ready to embark on this adventure or not.

Let us help you find out.

1. You want to become a parent

The first step to knowing if you are ready to have a baby is to reflect on whether you really want it and why you want it. It may seem obvious, but it is not always so simple.

Do you really want to be a parent? Are you willing to put significant amounts of time aside (a round-the-clock shift) for your child?

Having a child is wonderful, and at the same time it is a huge responsibility that should not be taken lightly. Evaluate if you really, really want to be a parent.

Is it really you who wants a child? Or is it your partner? Maybe it’s pressure from your parents? Or is it just because you feel like your biological clock is ticking and you feel like you will regret it if you do not act fast?

Also read: Can you get pregnant naturally at age 45?

Can you really imagine having a baby and being overwhelmed by warm and loving feelings? When a friend tells you to be a mother, do you get so happy on her behalf? Do you feel a tinge of envy?

Use these questions to help you better determine your true reactions and not just those expected of you.

2. You are willing to selflessly devote most of your life to your child

Yes, you read that correctly. As soon as a woman becomes pregnant, her life changes radically.

Women who smoke should stop smoking for the sake of the baby. Alcohol is also not compatible with a healthy pregnancy. In addition, you may have to give up nights out traveling and accept that your life will be filled with dirty diapers, baby bottles, vomit on your chest… but also with smiles, the bell and a strong desire to protect that you never have felt before.

The fact that you are ready to become a parent does not mean that you have to give up your life and the pleasures that it entails. It just means that you will have to adapt it to include a helpless person who is dependent on your support and who has his own identity, will and personality.

Your life will change and will never ever be like what you once had.

So are you willing to change your life to literally revolve around a child’s needs? Are you really willing to give up all the pleasures of being childless that you enjoy today? Are you ready to give up being able to travel freely, drink, smoke and party to truly and selflessly give your child what he or she needs?

You need to think seriously about this.

Yes, there are nannies and grandparents and kindergartens and many other ways you can persuade someone to look after your child. What’s the point of having a baby if you can not spend time with them, raise them and watch them grow?

3. You are financially stable

Another point to keep in mind to find out if you are ready to become a parent is to consider whether you both have financial stability.

Are your jobs permanent or temporary?

It is very important that you know how much it will increase your expenses as a couple to have a child. You will have to buy a lot of things, such as a crib, clothes, diapers, a stroller and much more.

However, it is not just that: there will be medical and regular expenses for care. Additionally, if you are giving birth to a child with special needs, there will be special education expenses and treatments and more medical bills.

Can you really afford the financial and emotional wear and tear this would inflict on you and your partner as parents? Is your relationship strong enough to survive?

Also read: 5 reasons why unhappy couples stay together

4. Are you ready to become a parent? You need to be emotionally stable

There are few things that are more destabilizing than becoming a parent. It is a difficult feeling to explain as it includes a huge love, physical fatigue and fear of making mistakes.

Are you an emotionally stable person who can face challenges calmly? Do you know how to handle your emotions? Does your partner?

5. Your partner also wants a baby

Becoming a parent is a decision that the two people who supply the DNA must make together.

Do not put pressure on your partner if he or she hesitates. All people have good reasons to act and feel the way they do.

Present your case, but do so without pressure. Share what you are feeling and what is happening to you. If you are ready to become a parent, you must be ready forever. You cannot send the child back to where he or she came from.

6. If you belong to a “tribe,” you may be ready to become a parent

The term “tribe” refers to a close group that provides emotional support and help with daily tasks. A tribe is there for you, helping you and lifting you up when you need it.

Your parents and in-laws, your siblings and in-laws and the close friends you have all play an important role in your life. In our technological age, there are also online parenting communities where parents can share their experiences, advice, doubts and fears.

All the people by your side will be your support along with your partner. It will be these people who will listen to you and understand when you need a break to let go of your emotions.

As it’s hard to be a parent – it can be the hardest thing you will ever do – there will be times when you just want freedom from your children. However, you can not get it, nor will you. That’s what tribes are for.

So do you think you are ready to become a parent? If so, enjoy it. And if not, enjoy it too.