Should You Go for Motherhood for Biological Clock Reasons?

I’ve always been asked why I had a baby too late. Would you consider any age after 25 years old “too late”? In some circles, this is a late age to get pregnant, and I agree up to a certain point.

I saw a lady in my son’s school. She’s young, around 28-ish, and she has a sixth grader! I found myself thinking “WOW”.

I and a fellow mom around got to talking about her and doing the math. She must have become pregnant during her teens. I can’t help but think that if I didn’t take the whole “I am a proud bachelorette” mindset too far, I would have been like her… having a sixth grader while I’m still young enough to have 5 more kids. I can still enjoy my youngest child’s first post-graduate graduation (heh!) without worrying about age-related issues like joint pain relief.

But… (here comes the “up to a certain point” part)

I do believe that a woman should be emotionally ready for motherhood.

I would have typed in “financially ready” but you know what? Money comes when you’re diligent, and you get more diligent when you have a kid you adore, so what we think of as “financially ready” just doesn’t factor in (especially since I’m a proponent of the whole work-at-home mom scheme).

So… Emotionally Ready?

In any project, the first step is always the hardest. However, once you overcome the first step, everything will fall into place. Well, not all the time. Things can still be topsy-turvy even if you think you got the whole parenting issue figured out.

Being emotionally ready means holding on and staying steadfast even when the self-pity, regrets and emotional outbursts come.

And they WILL come, when things at home get tough.

If you can smile through the pain of feeling like a single parent (when your hubby doesn’t hold up his end of the bargain and slacks off); if you can chomp down your craving for more things for yourself because you’re thinking of how you’ll pay for your child’s needs… then you’re there.

Don’t go for parenthood only for biological reasons. There’s no need to panic. What you must focus on is how you can prepare yourself emotionally for the task of taking care of another person.

Besides, there’s always adoption.