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A few thoughts on your article:
1) No one is ever ready for children, it’s a shock no matter who you are or how ready you think you are. Also, you never have enough money for kids, yet there’s always enough to go around in 99.99% of cases. If you’re waiting to be emotionally or financially ready, don’t bother.
2) You don’t love your children, you fall in love with your children. It’s hard to explain the difference but it’s a big difference.
3) You say that your father did have any worries if there would actually be a “next generation”. Yet you’re 36, born right in the middle of the cold war and not long after you were born I remember Meathead telling Archie that it wasn’t fair to bring children into this world becue they would never be able to grow up. Know what? Every generation thinks this way.
4) Babies are different from children. I have 3 kids, and I love doing things with them. But man, I found babies to be boring. Not the first rush of “OMG I’m a dad!” but I could see my partner was much more into the infant thing than I was. But when you can a ball around with them, teach them to swim, read comics together, that’s fun.
5) Your life is perfect now. However, I just came home from the funeral of my 50 year old brother in law, who died suddenly and unexpectedly. My sister and he decided not to burden themselves with children and live pretty distant from all other members of the family. Her friends have been great but it’s been a few months, the calls and visits are slowing down to pre-event levels, and I think she’s starting to sense the loneliness of her situation.
6) There really is something special about your own DNA on the hoof. It is definitely deep in the psyche.
