What do you wish you'd done before having children?

[MrsFogi]

Is there anything you wish you'd done/done more of before having children and are now going to have to wait, until they are a bit older/have flown the nest, to do? I ask in an attempt to keep my chin up while ttc. I seem to be putting my life on hold (e.g. not organising skiing hols until the last minute just in case, not changing jobs so I don't lose maternity benefits etc.) and as I've been ttc for 19 mths now I figure I should maybe use this time to do things that I (or dh + I) won't be able to do once we succeed (fingers, toes and everything crossed!). So someone please give me some ideas for big or little plans that wouldn't be possible with kids to take my mind of ttc and to get on with life in the meanwile!

[HonorMatopoeia]

I'm sure these will be very similar to other posts but:

Travel
Swap jobs to do something a bit more 'daring'
Go to concerts
Go to fine restaurants (or even the local pub more often!)
Watch sunsets while eating fish and chips on harbours (I know it is saft but I love doing this)
Spend a bit of time worrying about me, not everyone else.

[CountessDracula]

had a child

it took us 3 years to conceive dd and we were ready before tbh

We did all the travel and had all the fun though so should be grateful for that

[flockwallpaper]

It took us 4 years to conceive DS and i felt as you do that life was on hold. I wish I'd had the sense at the time to ask advice as you have I wish before DS arrived I had done evening classes to learn a foreign language as it is trickier to find the time once you have a child, and I also wish I had gone trekking / hiking more. It is possible to take a baby hiking with you in a sling but you can't go that far or in extremes of weather or altitude, and as much as I love DS, I miss the walks. Oh and I wish we'd done more fine dining. Good luck with TTC.

[Sakura]

IN another life ID have like to have had a career. I actually have a masters and would have loved to have put a lot of effort into putting my degrees to good use. ALso would have liked to have shared a flat with a friend, or even better, lived on my own in a bohemian type way. Id have lived on the continent and taken a French lover or two(or any lover really) and become an academic with no children. Id have tried out different countries for long stretches by working my way around the world...<br /> <br /> As it happened I got married at 24, had DD at 25 but then as soon as I had DD I thought OMG WHY did I wait so long..? BABIES are where its AT! I want to have more! THis is better than anything IVe ever done in my LIFE!
So all in all a happy ending, I suppose.

[Scampmum]

Definitely going out together in the evening, going away for the weekend on a whim, lying around naked in bed all day, having baths together, generally acting on impulse, reading, doing night classes if you have any interests you want to indulge.

Brilliant question, by the way - great attitude! I'd hire the sports car, though - depreciation and all that .

[Anna8888]

Made more money

[decaffeinated]

Getting super toned and fit, like I'd been saying I would for the 2 years previous!

[ScubaDuba]

More his-n-her holidays to remote places. We both did lots of travelling before we met and together once we had, but I wish I'd managed to visit the Galapagos Islands!!!

As others have said, nurture your me-time and free time and your long lazy sleeps. Pamper each other and relish your child-free home whilst you can - no scribble on the walls, no broken furniture, clean windows, firegate-free fireplace, ornaments on shelves, etc, etc, etc

[worley]

ditto hthe more holidays together, meals out, cinema trips,
long lay ins, instead of early nights,
hangovers with out hearing someone shouting at you "i want..."

[shrinkingsagpuss]

married someone different

[worley]

lol at shrinkingsagpuss, wish i'd thought of that answer. pmsl

[Juicylucytoo]

I have no regrets, but I packed in alot before having DS at 40. I would recommend as many others have:

Travel to far flung and exotic destinations. E.g. The Inca Trail to Machu Pichu, as it'll be YEARS before you realistically can take kids on that. Back-packing in India. Site-seeing, shopping and eating in New York.

Lots of expensive Meals in Non Kid friendly restaurants.

Weekends away in European Cities.

VERY LONG Sunday Lie-ins with Newspapers

Whole days shopping for clothes JUST FOR YOU!

Finish the house. (ah there, we found it, my ONE regret!)

[francesd]

Again, finished the house and paid off all our debts. Would only have taken a year and would have saved a lot of stress! Now facing prospect of having builders in within first few weeks of baby being born

[trixymalixy]

I'm another who wishes we'd finished the house pre DS. We just don't have the time these days.

It would have been nice to have got one more rung up the career ladder as it will be difficult for me now being part time.

Don't put off going skiing by the way, we did and I regret not going on the off chance that I might get pregnant.