10 Signs That You’re Not Ready to Have Kids Yet
Sooner or later, you might muster up the courage to finally consider starting a family. Sadly, it could lead to a disaster if you’re not fully prepared, so in this article, we’ve put together 10 signs that show you’re not ready to have kids yet.
1. You want to get further in your career
If you’re climbing the career ladder quickly or are seeing success in your at-home business, then having a child is probably the last thing on your mind. Growing your career isn’t easy and opportunities can easily pass you by, meaning that you should absolutely think about your job before you decide to have kids.
It should come as no surprise that having children will eat into your time and prevent you from progressing through your career as quickly as possible. While it’s not impossible to grow your career while looking after your kids, it does become a lot harder and there are more considerations to keep in mind.
2. You find it frustrating to deal with a neighbour or family member’s kids
A simple way to tell if you’re ready for a family or not is how you react to kids. Some people find them cute and well worth the time and effort, others find them far too much work and hate it when a family member or friend asks them to babysit.
Of course, many people don’t realize just how much having a child can change their lives in a positive way. It gives them purpose, it gives them determination and it helps them be more efficient in their life so that they can provide for their child and also spend a lot of time with them.
3. You and your partner are going through hard times
Whether it’s an argument or even an illness, it’s vital that you and your partner are fit both physically and mentally before you decide to have children.
The last thing you want is for these problems to get worse when you’re trying to raise a child.
4. You still like your freedom
If you love partying every Friday night and enjoy spending your money on your hobbies, then it’s probably not a good idea to start thinking about having kids. Having a child is going to eat away at your time and you’re going to lose a lot of the freedom that you have because you need to be responsible for your kids.
No one likes an irresponsible parent that doesn’t care about their children, so avoid starting a family if you’re not willing to sacrifice the majority of your freedom for their sake.
5. You only have a single source of income with no backup plan
Even if you have a high amount of income right now, it’s no use if you don’t have a backup plan or multiple sources of income to ensure that you can always pay for what your child needs. Be it clothing, food or school fees, children are expensive to raise and those costs will usually keep rolling.
If you don’t have multiple sources of income or a backup plan to ensure that you can always provide for your family, it might not be the best idea to start a family right now.
6. You’re not willing to invest in children yet
It’s very important to consider family planning before you invest in your kids. This is because you want to ensure you have enough money, time and space to raise your kids, but what if you’re not willing to invest you? What if you hear how much it costs to raise a child and you’re already feeling like it’s going to be a big mistake?
There’s no shame in not wanting to invest in your children yet. Perhaps there are other investments you want to make before you have children in order to secure their future, or maybe you want to consider your own interests a bit more before you dedicate yourself to raising your child.
7. You’re comparing yourself to friends and family
If you find yourself comparing your situation to that of friends and family members, then you may want to hold off on creating a family. The reason for this is because you don’t want to feel like you have to match what your friends and family do.
Everyone takes life that their own pace and you don’t have to be an exception. Don’t let what your friends and family do affect your own decisions.
8. You want to travel and not stay put in one place
Everyone loves travelling but when you have children it can force you to give up that life unless you’re willing to take care of your child as you travel.
There are many people that homeschool their children or put them in schools all around the world as they travel. This can be a unique way to raise children but also a very stressful and demanding one that requires a lot of your attention.
9. You’re feeling pressured to do it
Whether it’s a parent putting pressure on you or friends that keep making comments about you, peer pressure can make having a child seem like a bigger deal than it really is.
You don’t have to force yourself to have a child just because your friends and family are doing it. Take life at your own pace and try to stop thinking about what others might assume of you.
10. You worry about what others think
And speaking of assumptions, starting a family is going to put you in the spotlight and open you up to a lot of behind-your-back criticism and comments.
If even the thought of this makes you question if you should start a family or not, then it’s clear that you’re not ready yet and should wait. What other people say shouldn’t bother you much, but if it does affect you then it could cause you to make other poor decisions later on regarding your family.
