Being honest , were you fully ready for parenthood?

[hops&dreams]

Super, duper NO. Had only known each other 3 months when I found out I was pregnant. (First Dr appt was on my 23rd birthday.) Compound that with an emergency C-section at 31 weeks, delivering a 2.5 lb baby, and a 7 week NICU stay.

Now we have a college freshman and will celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary this year!

 

[goofyernmost]

No one is completely ready for parenthood. It is an adventure that is different for everyone. Even if you already have a child, the next ones are different experiences and even though there are a thousand books on parenthood, everyone says something different. There is no one way to do it, it is something that you just act and react too. It can be a rewarding experience or a totally frustrating one and it take patience and determination to do the best you can and not expect anything more than that from ourselves.

 

[Orion Nebula]

I had three kids, two grown and still don't feel ready. Parenthood is a PITA, and those pains just keep evolving from one annoying phase to another. And you know what sucks even more? As they grow up, move out, etc... you miss it...

It's kind of like hitting your hand with a hammer for two decades, losing it and crying that you can't find it. Parenting is pretty crazy.

 

[holden]

Yes and no. We were ready for the younger years but not the teen years.

 

[MamaMermaid]

It was a planned pregnancy and I "felt" ready but no one is ever ready.

 

[mrs. magoo]

No I don't think anyone is fully prepared to be parent at any time in their life even people who think they are will be surprised by something. I babysat and such but it is a whole different ball game when you are fully responsible for keeping a human alive 24/7. My 3rd was one of those babies who cried non stop and I mean non stop - she has been fed, burped, changed, rocked but still would cry. I finally understood how some parents can shake their babies - on more than one occasion I had to put her in her crib, close the door and walk outside. I knew she was safe and I needed to breath.

 

[MillauFr]

Before anyone answers this question you must first define what prepared means. Many posters here seemed to think prepared means that you are supposed to know all of the answers. That definition is ludicrous as no one does.

 

[GreatLakes]

Is anyone? We waited to have our's until we were established in our careers and didn't have to have any money worries. We were also the last in our friend group to have their first child so we had twenty years of view into that life just from friends and family. I'd say we were as ready as anyone could be to become parents which is not "fully".

 

[TLSnell1981]

Not at all. I am the oldest kid on both sides of the family...always helped out. I had the basics down but nothing beats hands on experience. You know the trial and error thing!

 

[Simba's Mom]

Absolutely not! I'm an only child, so no younger siblings, nor did I have any younger cousins. I was clueless!

 

[Buzz Rules]

Nope. But I wouldn’t change it for the world

Welcome to the Disboards.

 

[Buzz Rules]

I hope to be when I have kids. My grandparents told me that there is no book that covers every situation when you have kids and that’s what makes it worthwhile.

 

[kdonnel]

Heck no.

 

[luvsvacation]

I was prepared. I went in thinking I knew exactly what I was going to do and I did it and 20 years later I still feel I did well! I worked in the infant room of a daycare for a year and then I was a nanny for 2 1/2 years. The family had a 4 year old, a just turned 2 year old and a newborn. After 2 1/2 years of doing everything with them from sports lessons to dr appts to overnights and traveling and generally juggling 3 kids while running them all over. I went from that into being a stay at home mom to one little baby and I felt like it was the easiest thing I had ever done!!

 

[Lumpy1106]

No, but I really feel that DW and I are pretty good at it. June Cleaver has us beat on the housekeeping but kids have all had very different issues and we've mastered them all.