Motherhood and Me

Lately, I have been thinking about parenthood, raising babies and being a Mom. I have always known that I want to be a Mom someday. But lately, with what seems like everyone I know announcing their pregnancy, how do you know when you are really ready?

My husband and I already know we want either 2 or 3 children. We just cant decide when all this will take place. Some days, I think I am ready now and other days, I know I am not. My husband will tell you that he is not ready. Not being ready now is fine with me. Considering we are in our mid-twenties and want to travel a bit more and save up before we become parents. We have been married for almost two years and we are already getting the question.. "when are you going to start having babies?".. But that is essentially my question.

Is anyone really ready to be a parent? I don't think anyone really understands what a parent really does until you go through it. Most people either know they want to be a parent or they know they don't. But if you do want to have children, when do you really know? What is that signal that you are really ready for the responsibility?

Obviously, its not an age thing. If it were, then teenagers wouldn't be having babies. By the way, what is a good age to have children? When your younger, thirties or what about your forties? I can't imagine having children now but don't want to wait until I am in my 40's to do so either. What is the norm? What is acceptable and what is the best from a doctor's standpoint?

Like I said, my husband and I want to save up before the babies come. Why-- because babies are expensive. Hell, I am expensive and sometimes I wonder if I will be a good Mom because I would be selfish and treat myself to a shopping spree. I wonder if I would be able to make sacrifices for my children and not regret it? Some people can do it and some people can't. I hope that I could be the parent that I want to be, but I guess I will have to wait to find out.

A good friend of mine recently said that parents should be required to pass a test before having children. This test would eliminate a lot of people who shouldn't have kids from having them in the first place. We laughed and joked about it but in reality, there should be some guidelines for parenting. According to LeAnna, if you think it is appropriate to sexually abuse children, you would lose your reproductive privileges. And, if you were okay with physically abusing your children, you lost your limbs. In the end, the children are just as human as their parents. It is NOT the child's fault that his or her parents were not ready to be a responsible parent.

Again, it comes back to when are you really ready for parenthood?

If you have children, or are expecting, how did you know you were ready to be a parent? Please explain the process to me, from your standpoint. I am really struggling with the when part.