You’ve only got to speak with the parent of any child to find out that raising a child is more than a full-time job, especially if you’re already employed. Preparing properly, or at least being aware of the potential challenges that you may face will put you in good stead for what lies ahead, here are a few things to consider.
Think about the kind of support that you might need
No matter your situation, everybody needs help and support when raising a child, whether you’re going to be a single parent or you plan on raising a child with your partner, a child needs nonstop care and attention. If you have a partner to plan with then it makes the process somewhat easier, even so, things like work and other existing commitments will still require some serious thought.
Having a child is a wonderful thing however, most people will agree that it changes their lives completely, you will need to be prepared to have your life quite literally turned upside down. You will have less time to yourself than you are used to, if any and, you may even find yourself having to create a new space in your home from Kiddie Country for your new addition.
Questions partnerships should plan for
However much you may not want to think about these potential hurdles, try and get into a practical mindset and talk them over with your partner, below you’ll see a few of the most challenging situations that couples have had to overcome when raising a child.
- Is your relationship healthy enough to support a child?
- Are you able to agree on things?
- Are you able to be completely open-minded with each other?
- How will the finances be handled?
- Will you share responsibilities?
- What happens if we part company?
Taking the time to talk about these questions now rather than later could help you both to figure out if having a child together is the right thing for you both, including the right thing for the child.
Questions a single parent should plan for
Although it’s probably not something that many people consider doing, a huge number of parents find themselves parenting as a single parent, for one reason or another. It can be more challenging in different ways to have to juggle a relationship with a partner but, it is possible as long as you are true to yourself.
One of the main advantages is that you don’t have anybody else to answer to, or anybody else to try and negotiate with, you are the CEO in terms of how the parenting will be done. The downside, however, is just that, you won’t have anybody to share the experience with or anybody of that nature to turn to in times of need and support. Here are the main challenges you will need to consider.
- What about your future and your plans?
- What support network do you have in place?
- Can I afford to have a child?
- Am I capable of taking care of a child?
These might seem like no-brainer questions to be asking yourself before embarking on one of the biggest challenges of your life, believe it or not though, they happen to be the biggest reasons why things go wrong when they needn’t have had to.
