Is being a parent right for me?

[Lilac67]

Hi all, I’m in my early 20’s and I’m rethinking my life goals. I love caring for animals but never really had the same love/interest towards children. Is it different when it’s your own?

I definitely want to continue my family line and pass on my everything but it’s a very permanent decision. Being an only child I would want them to experience having a sibling so that’s doubled responsibility.

I could only fit a baby into my life after 25-30 and I’m curious if any of you had a similar dilemma and how your lives turned out. 🙂

I was never good with children and still feel awkward with other kids 🙁 but I have 3 of my own!!

It is different when it's your own. You KNOW them. There aren't awkward silences because you know them, you know what they like and them smiling, kissing, hugging, makes your day :)

It’s definitely different when they’re your own. I still find it a bit awkward interacting with other peoples kids because I don’t know them well but DD is generally really pleasant to be around (in an exhausting kind of way!)

Don't make decisions about the rest of your life in your early 20s. Your brain is still developing and you should be living life not wishing it away right now.

A lot depends on what you want to do, who you want to do it with, where you want to do it. What are your other dreams and aspirations?

You are in your early 20s
Forget children for now
Get a nice career
No rush

I've never been interested in having children. I'm 37 now and happily childfree.

Like you say, it's a permanent choice and so much bigger than just con

Grr posted too early

It's so much bigger than just passing on your family line. Make sure you are 110%, because your life will change permanently.

It's not normally a permanent decision that you have to make in your early twenties though.

In my early twenties I was dead set against having children. I didn't like serious relationships, I was awkward at interacting with other people's children and didn't think I could be maternal.
My stance softened around the age of 30 and I now have 2 DC, born when I was 33 and 36. I know other people my age who are happily childfree. Don't rush it.

You’re so young. I definitely could not have even pondered having a child in my early 20s. Your 20s are for fun and friends and exploring, traveling, building your career, being totally selfish and focused on you.

I did have my first until I was 32 and second not til 37. I was partying my socks off in my 20s and not thinking about children, so I wouldn’t even worry about whether it’s the right choice just yet.

Don't worry about it now. You're still young.

Children were not my priority during my 20s. I married at 27 and at 29 we decided the time was right and started trying.

No need to commit to anything yet

Thanks for all the insight, y’all are sweet glad it worked out either way.
I’ll put the idea on the backburner for a while 😄

I never wanted children. I had one when I was 33. He's a lovely adult but there's no way I would have had 2