Things to consider before baby’s arrival….
You know you’d like to have some kids, you feel the time is right and now you can’t seem to wait to be called “mummy” and “daddy”.
Maybe you should pause a little because that bundle of joy is also a bundle of other things that are more than a handful. You can’t just have kids because you think you would look in great in pictures with one or because you feel like it. There’s more to bringing a child into the world than that.
You need to make certain preparations for the arrival of your child and you need determine how prepared you are. These seven question will help couple in finding their way to parenthood;
1. How will your lives change?
Couples need to come to terms with the fact that a new baby will change their lives; their spending, their careers and their responsibilities among a host of other things. They need to figure out if they are ready to make the necessary adjustments, they need to have counted the cost.
2. Are you financially prepared?
Child care involves a lot of expenses; that you planned for and that which springs up as you go. It is good to have some money saved towards the arrival of a newborn and have a working plan on how to get and manage the income to keep it up.
3. How much help will you need?
This deals a lot with the first months or years of your baby’s arrival. Couples need to consider how much help they will need in caring for their child especially in the light of their careers, schedules and general capabilities. They need to work out whether they’ll be getting paid help or asking the grand parents and other loved ones to chip in. This requires some preparation.
4. How soon before you have another child?
This is a very important question for couples planning parenthood. It will reflect in their plans for the short and long terms; concerning finances, accommodation, and career decisions among other things.
5. How will the child be raised?
Couples need to decide what kind of values they would like to bring their child (and/or children) up with; strictly religious, liberal or somewhere in between?
They will also need to consider what kind of education they want to provide or may be able to afford for the coming kid(s).
6. What will each parent’s role be?
While this may not pan out exactly as planned, couples should have a general sense of who will be doing what when the kid(s) arrive. Will be everyone chipping in as they can or will mummy and daddy have separate, distinct roles and responsibilities?
Setting a framework like this always helps.
7. What will the baby’s name(s) be?
You need to have a discussion about this; you never know what outlandish names your partner might be cooking up.
It also helps to discuss if you’ll be allowing names from the grandparents or that great aunt. Better to have a general talk about your ideas and expectations so you can tie them up before the baby pops.
Goodluck!