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Having kids is such an arduous feat. I’m pretty sure that people (like myself) don’t really consider what kind of responsibilities, sacrifices, and incredible levels of stress come with being a parent. Here are the positives to having children:

• They are cute (up till age 6—and then they are awkward for another 11 years)
• They can be fun (when they are not being bratty or annoying)
• They can bring a level of pride / happiness
• Having kids gives extra meaning to life
• They will (hopefully) love you when you are old and all of your friends are dying

That is all that I could think of… Are there any that I am missing? Here are some of the negatives to having children:

• STRESS. Parents worry about:
o Who will take care of the kids?
 Will one of us have to stay home?
 Will we have to get some random lady to take care of them?
• Who is this random lady? Can I trust her with my kids?
 If I get someone else to take care of my kids, will I be sacrificing a close relationship with my child??
o What sports should they be involved in?
o What musical instruments should they play?
o Where should I raise my kids?
 City—will they meet sketchy kids?
 Suburb—will they be brats ( probably)
 In the middle of nowhere—will they grow up naïve and inexperienced?
o What kind of discipline will I use on my kids?
 Spanking—is that being outlawed now?
• Will they hate me if I do??
• How could I spank a little kid??
 Grounding
• I was never grounded as a kid—does that even work?
 “I’m just disappointed”
• What if they don’t care?
o What kind of rules will I enforce on my kid?
 When can they start wearing makeup?
 When will I give them a cell phone?
 When can they start dating?
• What if they date around behind my back?
 Will I let them drink or smoke?
• How could I punish them for it?
 How do I get them to improve their grades?

Obviously I have been concerned about this, seeing as how all of what is listed above is only PART of what parents stress about. This blog post is far too long already, but perhaps I will add more later. Having children is definitely NOT something that I would do without previously considering the possible risks and problems that may arise.

I love kids– but could I really be a parent??

As my friend Destiny said to me tonight, “Rachel, even I would probably pop out 100 kids before you popped one out.”

Yep, Destiny. You might be right.