What drives people to decide they want to have another child?

When we were younger, the idea of starting a family and having children of our own sounded like the most exciting thing. In fact, we truly believed that the more, the merrier, and fantasized over the idea of having four or five children who would love each other and us with all their hearts.

And then, well, we grew up. Becoming an adult meant that we got to see all the «behind the scenes» we weren’t aware of as children, and all the actual reality of what it takes to have children suddenly dawned, and it is definitely not what we pictured as kids.

First, children are expensive. Not only is actual childbirth something that many go into debt for, but then you have at least 18 years of having to pay for every single thing the child needs. Diapers, food, clothes, education, and everything in between. The thought of paying all of that for one kid is alarming; imagine what it’s like with two or three more? 

Second, you have to make sure you have the emotional capability to take care of a child. Every single resource you have goes to your child, and that can take a lot of mental energy. You should ensure you have it before you actually have the child. If you’re not ready for it, you will not only do yourself harm, but you will also harm your child. How many children grew up with parents who weren’t there for them emotionally? That can truly cause some serious issues, and it’s simply better to avoid it in the first place, if possible.

While we all make educated decisions of whether or not we are ready for kids, and for how many, that doesn’t mean we can’t rely on others to give us their input. If they know us well enough, they can help us with this huge decision, which is exactly what the daughter below is trying to do for her parents.