Intuition is a powerful thing. No matter how compelling logical arguments are, there’s something to be said for the pull of an intuitive sense –– a gut feeling. If something doesn’t sit well with you (literally), then there’s probably a serious problem with it. Knowing when to start a family, then, is a process that requires both sound logic and a bit of intuition as well. After all, there’s always going to be some reason why you could hesitate to have kids. Nevertheless, today we’re going to examine four aspects of parental life so that when you make your decision –– you can do so from an informed position:
Location Location Location
It’s no understatement to say that a child changes everything about a person’s life –– and their home is no exception. In addition to making basic accommodations (like baby-proofing your house) you should scrutinize everything about your residence before you decide to have kids. The number of rooms, size of the yard, quality of neighborhood and school district, as well as a myriad of other factors should all help determine if your home is suitable for the arrival of a little one.
Discipline and Motivation
Parents are required to go the extra mile for their children all the time. Sometimes that means waking up at three in the morning to buy cold medicine; other times that could entail driving them to soccer practice after a long day at work. If you truly revere your own personal “me” time, you might want to reconsider the parenteral route for now. There’s nothing wrong with loving a sleep-in on the weekends, but if you want to be the best parent you can be, you’ll have to relinquish hobbies like that.
Stability
Does your job take you out of town regularly? Do you and your current partner struggle to maintain normalcy and quarrel often? Have you experienced financial hardship recently? If you’ve answered “yes” to any of the above questions you may want to rethink the timing of your decision to have kids. Children crave a stable environment, and the fewer upheavals you have in your own personal life, the better suited you’ll be to creating a healthy atmosphere for your child.
Fertility Issues
It may not be the first thing that people want to consider, but if you’re serious about starting a family you should look into your ability to conceive children. Educating yourself on everything from a healthy sperm count to tuboplasty procedure is imperative if you’re going to tackle any potential fertility issues you or your partner might encounter. Furthermore, it’s also wise to explore the intricacies of other options like adoption early on. Of course none of these decisions should be taken lightly, so you’ll want to research as many aspects of parenting as possible.