Family Planning

I was discussing with a good friend the dilemma of planning when to have children the other day. He said he and his wife had concluded that there really is no good time to have children. I have to agree. The truth is, children completely disrupt your life, even just one. I'm not saying it's not totally worth it, but there are sacrifices that must be made whether you're wealthy or not. You have to realize that many of the things you thought were important will not seem so important after your baby arrives and you will let them fall to the wayside.

I've also noticed that even when people think they're in a good position to have a child, once the baby is in the belly something happens that throws that whole "being ready" and "good timing" thing right out the window. My point is, whether the child is planned in good circumstances or a surprise with not so great timing, you adapt. Families come together and help, or friends do. It might suck to have to swallow your pride and accept the help, but once you're a parent you realize you'll do anything for your child, including swallowing your pride.

I'm not saying that everyone out there should just go to having babies. There is something to be said for being emotionally ready and financially stable before bringing new life into the world. That said, I don't think anyone can be completely ready, because you don't know what you're getting into until it happens. Being a parent is something you can't truly understand from the outside.

So if you're planning on having kids, strive for financial stability, being an appropriate age (definitely out of your teens), and emotional readiness and do it when it feels right. It's totally worth it. If you wait til everything's perfect, you probably won't be having kids.

Image taken by Mandi Cook.