To ask you honestly would you have had children again?

[Behonestplease]

If you could live your life over, would you have more children, less children, no children?

I had mine at 30 and 32, no regrets re age but I think I should have done a lot more with my life before I had them. I should have travelled and been more open to change and experiences. I am now, it's like the kids have given me confidence to get out there but taken up the time. Never mind. Me and dh dream of getting them away to uni them taking a gap year ourselves :-)

Thanks ThroughThick I'm 26 and due my first (i'll be 27 then)
Feeling like i'm pretty young to be starting but actually have quite a few friends my age with children already
Was just curious as i've always said I want 4 but realistically I can see us trying to have 2

I wish I'd started earlier and had less of a gap but multiple mc took that decision from me.
I am 42 and have a 12 year old and a 6 year old and I'm pretty tired tbh.
I dread another 6 years of primary.
My sister had 2 within 18 months and hers are both at secondary now.
It makes me feel sad though, like I'm wishing ds2s life away :(

I have 4 children, 3 have ASD / ADHD. If I could go back I wouldn't want to have more than one child. I love all the children but the difficulties they have robs you of all the beautiful and quality experiences of parenting and places a huge strain on relationships in the family.

Ideally I would have met someone who wasn't Australian, had them earlier and possibly had more. Or, kept the same man but have him prefer to stay in the UK.

I was never that sold on the idea of children but turns out I absolutely love babies. Not so keen when they get past the toddler stage, mind, so maybe better to stick to 2 after all.

I was always adamant that I didn't want 3 though, as I was one of 3 and the almost constant "2 against 1" scenario made me sure I didn't want a repeat of that. So if I wanted more, I'd have to go for 4 and I'm not entirely sure I could cope with that!

I just know that if I hadn't had them, I would definitely end up with several million animals and a collection of prams and reborn dolls in my spare room.

Baddz

I'm a bit like that. can't wait for BabyZing to start school (3 more years) but at the same time I'm thinking, I'm so going to miss not having a baby /toddler around!

I'm training myself to enjoy the here and now. I don't want to look back and feel like I missed out on being in the present.
are you in?

Solo - actually, I was thinking that yesterday (bad day) - but selfishly I have really loved having 2 babies. And they're still pretty cute when they're not beating each other up that is

Zing - I have a friend here who has the same number of children as you - her youngest started school this year, and she is now fostering. There's an option for you, maybe? Mind you, it's all a bit different over here.

Waitingforegg. I was almost 34 when I had ds and 36 when I had dd. DH and I had been together for 11 years before ds came along. As my own parents had me in their 30s, I wish I'd have started at 28-30. So that my dc would have had more time with my Dad. But you simply never know what's round the corner and it never occurred to me in my 20s that I would end up caring for small dc and my DDad.

Yes, definitely, I wish I had had DD earlier as I'm not sure we will be able to have any more and I would have liked at least two. I'm 36 now so time is running out.

I would have started much earlier and had a few more. At least 4 instead of two. I did not want children for the longest time; but turns out they are the best things ever :)

we thought about it before and it's something we might do in the future Thumb.
I could give love to more children, no problem.
but I'm very short on time, energy and patience as it is!

(plus I'm looking forward to being able to do things just for me. I do crave child-free time!)

I'd have had one more and had the first 2 closer together.

Possibly depends on how old your children are too, Zing - my friend's oldest is 20 and has left home, and the next one is on his way out too, so there is more space for more babies.

Don't have any, probably won't now...not technically too old, but for me it feels too late to start, don't think I am physically or mentally up to babies and young children in my forties. I do wish though that I'd done it say 15 years ago, even if I was in the wrong relationship at the time. Some of my friends have teenagers and I envy them that...they have produced mostly loving, level headed, appreciative young people, and I wish I had my own. Young children, not so much!

I'd have more. It's about a much bigger picture than a few years of inconvenience and sleepless nights.

I did want more and am young enough to. Now they are nearly ready to fly the nest, I am looking forward to a different life.

Zing...wise words ????

Interesting question...

I think I would have had the same which is four DC close in age.

I'm very supportive of people's decisions to not have kids. Two of my adult kids don't want kids and I always tell them that if they don't want kids then don't have them. I never tell them that they will change their minds or that they will regret it. I know a few people who I think would be happier without kids.
I never ask childless people why they haven't got kids.

Happy with my two happy and healthy children BUT agree completely with poster who said about how hard it was going from 1 to 2. Wish I'd had a slightly different age gap. It is 26 months so we had start if terrible two's and newborn stage at same time which was quite testing. Also younger child is an ebf, cosleeping limpet baby so my toddler has been a bit pushed out.... wish he was younger or older so he didn't notice or I could explain it to him better. At just gone 2 I think he felt a bit abandoned.

If we had endless money I'd probably squeeze in another (if I could, I'm a sufferer or recurrent miscarriage) but we don't have endless cash so it's a moot point.

I have three children. I think it depends on which day the question is asked. Some days, I really fancy myself an earth mother and wish I had five children. Some days, I wish I had just one child. I could not choose just which one that would be though. I guess, given the circumstances, I ended up with exactly the right amount of children.

I'd have had two, and had them later.
But as it was, I was desperate to have kids, and adored the baby stage. I don't regret them at all, but it might have been nicer to have spaced them out a bit more.

Other days, though, I think I'd have liked five. But those are the days when I forget how overcrowded the planet it.