Why did you have kids?

[NewbieToThis]

This sounds like a strange question to ask and a thread to start but I’m curious as to why you decided to have kids. Was it because you and your DH just generally wanted them or did you have them to achieve something in life or did you have them to fix or enrich your life etc?

FOMO for me too

I realised on a trip the Lake District. We was having a lovely time just the 2 of us, but seeing people with kids doing all the activities and laughing away made a switch flip inside me.

FOMO.
Best decision ever.

Overwhelming urge. It’s not a rational thing. And it’s brilliant

I needed to be a mum, it was a fundamental part of me. I thought I would do a reasonable job, and it gives me so much joy.

Pretty much all of this! Couldn't have said it better.

Just couldn’t imagine not having my own family, my children mean the world to me.

I was young, stupid, and convinced by now DH that I should have them young so we can do stuff together once they're grown up as I'd still be young. I was naive and didn't think it through.

I had my first in my early 20s and raised her as a single mum, and then I met my now DP in my early 30s and just knew I wanted to do it all again with the man I loved. Our youngest has completed our family in the best possible way 🥰

I had my first pretty young, looking back I think it was because I had an abusive childhood and just wanted unconditional love if I'm 100% honest.

Glutton for punishment

A huge biological urge and just loved the idea of being a Mummy since I was a little girl.

It's a dream come true everyday x

I have two sisters and a brother and we had a wonderful childhood and are all close. We are also close to our cousins.

Having children has intertwined our lives and reproduced how we grew up.

I can't imagine not ever wanting to have had children.

I wanted children from when I was about 18, a few of my friends had children young and I envied them so much! I didn't have a hugely happy childhood and I wanted my own kids so I could do it right.

In the end I didn't have them young, I met my now husband and we had our first when I was 30 then our second at 35!

I always just wanted to be a Mum and now I am I love it.

I suppose I could stick a narrative on it but honestly, that drive was built in for me. I have three and my eldest is at college now and I still bloody love all of it.

😂

Burnt out from work and fancied a break, husband desperately wanted one and life longing for itself. Its essentially a selfish choice not logical.

Biological urge- just always knew I wanted kids. No particular reasons.

I always knew I wanted kids. I was the one at family gatherings who was always with the little ones, I’ve always felt maternal. I was lucky enough to meet my partner young (early twenties) so by 30 I’d had both my children. They are my biggest blessing, they are truly amazing and I’m a better human because of them.

I knew I wanted my own children from when I was around five years old. My dd was born when she was because my then husband wanted to be a father by the time he was twenty five.
Keyboard has gone nuts and won't do numbers or a hyphen.

Scared of being on my own when I'm old. Once I actually have him, I'm sure that'll mature into never experiencing love like it and OTT pride for ability to master basic life skills.

I didn't have the biological urge that some people talk about but I knew I wanted a family. Best thing I've ever done.

Got pregnant by accident at 18 and thought f**k it, I’ll have a baby, what could possibly go wrong 😂

nothing went wrong by the way. She’s now 19 and at uni. Also have a 15 year old and I’m glad I did it when I was young.

I longed to have children and be a Mum since I was a little girl myself. I worked as a Nanny straight from uni as I just love caring for babies and children. As soon as we could afford to start a family we did. And needless to say I adore being a Mum!

I couldn't really imagine not having them. I'd grown up in a world where it seemed everyone had children (parents only seemed to be getting friends with other people who were also parents). At the time I felt that was a good and overiding reason to have kids.

I love my kids and don't regret having them, but I do now look back and think I was lacking in imagination and exposure to anyone who'd made a good life for themselves without children. I have many childless friends and colleagues now and appreciate that by having children you are also closing doors to other things you could do with your life instead. I never really thought this through, so it wasn't really much of a conscious choice that I made.

I always wanted kids but thought my time had gone as I was in my 30's I met my now ex & got pregnant quite quickly (contraception failure , I was on the pill) & I'm in Ireland, it was before our referendum & that was it, I was having a baby 🤷🏻‍♀️, it was scary but he was very wanted, second was unexpected but wanted also. I had my kids in a relationship but he left for his cheating partner (not the first apparently) before second son turned 1, 3 years on almost & I'm doing better than I thought & he's still having kids 😂