3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Starting a Family

Am I Ready to Start a Family?

There are some things in life that take major planning, and starting a family falls into this category. The number one concern that most people have when talking about this subject matter is money. Do they make enough money to support a family? I am sure that everyone knows that it is expensive to have children. The next thing would be the time management that is required to have a work-life balance in this economy. A child or children will need to feel secure and confident that their needs are going to be taken care of; this is a part of the equation. Let your mind take flight with the simple question being, are you ready to start a family? These are simple yes and no questions that you can answer.

If you are married then the decision should be made as a couple. If you are single then it really goes into a gray area—if you are a woman, do you want to wait to find a mate, pursue expensive in-vitro fertilization, or use a surrogate? Of course, a single person or a couple who can't have their own children can hopefully adopt. There are so many adoption conditions and options for people that you just have to find the right resource to start from. There is a way to test your innate parenting skills, and that is by becoming a foster parent. It is important to realize that this takes time in some states due to the classes you may have to take, and home evaluations in some states. There are times when you can foster care with the chance for adoption depending on if the parent relinquishes parental rights, but the circumstances vary from state to state. It's a slippery slope subject, but some adoptions do occur from fostering children in your home.

Who can help me take care of my family?

What is your support system in place when you made need help or advice? This sounds simple, but you need to be honest with yourself as to why you want children? There will be the chore of getting them ready for school and after school activities for the next eighteen years of your life. There will be a need to take a break ever so often. Do grandma and grandpa have time to babysit? The other question is: How is your health physically? Do you need to make sure you are in optimal health? These are some of the sensible common-sense questions that you should be floating around in the recesses of your mind. Who would take care of your children if something happened to you? This is an uncomfortable question, but it is one that needs to be answered. This is a serious endeavor and it is not something that you can start and then stop. So be wise and strategic with your decision-making skills. Please remember the final decision ultimately rest with you and your spouse. Do not forget this fact by being derailed with too many outside opinions.

How can I find the best opportunities?

Whatever you decide to do, make sure you seek advice and even legal counsel. It is important to have a living will and life insurance. This is true for everyone, but I added it as a reminder. Then scout to see if you live in a good school district. This is done by checking with other people or co-workers to see what they think of the surrounding schools. I suggest going to a random PTA meeting in your area school district. Hopefully, all of the preludes to starting a family questionnaire has helped you in some way. I hope that some of the resources and are helpful. Best wishes for the future of your journey that is about to begin.

How will I teach my kids?

Making the learning environment for your children to be engaging so it can be fun for you and them to look at. It’s so easy to make your home one of the best places for your children to learn. You can buy colorful alphabet magnets and place them on the refrigerator so that when you are cooking, or your children are in the kitchen, they are seeing their letters and learning them. You can also place different posters with different things that they should be learning inside of their room as well such as colors, shapes, numbers and the alphabet. Letting your children see these things each day will bring structure in their learning environment and allow for them to see it every day so as to memorize it. They will be learning and having fun all at the same time. Instead of purchasing a toy that is useless, you can purchase educational toys; that way while your children are at home playing, they will be constantly learning. This is a great way to create one of the best learning environments.