Are You Ready to Be a Parent? Five Questions to Know If You Are

Here are a few questions you have to answer if you'd like to determine if you are ready for parenting. If you answer yes to all five questions then you're certainly ready to be a parent

1) Do you know, understand and accept that most of the money you'll be making will not be allocated to your personal spending?

When you become a parent, most of the income you generate will go to paying the bills, feeding the family and of course other expenses. Instead of that sexy black dress on the boutique window or that expensive watch you've been admiring, things that a single person might buy, you'll have to consider that there are other expenses to think about now such as schooling, insurance, unforeseen medical bills and most probably child recreation.

2) Are you able to sacrifice your small pleasures for that of your child?

Sometimes in any relationship, you'll have to give in or compromise in order to avoid arguement and conflict. This is intensified when this relationship is with your child. Just because your child is smaller and younger than you doesn't mean you'll get your way all the time. It's actually the other way around.

3) Are you ready to enforce discipline and be a good example?

This is a hard pill to take. For the first time in my life I was sure I wanted to instill discipline and principle in someone other than myself. I care too much for my child that I want her to be the best person she can be when she grows up even if it means being strict now. And even if it means sacrificing pleasures such as night-outs for myself just so I can be with her.

4) Do you feel a twinge of guilt when you over-indulge yourself?

Now I'm not sure if this is a feeling that all parents share, but I for one feel quite guilty when I spend just a little too much on myself - whether it be time or

money, I feel that this should be properly allocated as well.

5) Are you ready to wipe someone else's ass?

Now this is very simple but very real and very obvious. Of course when you have a child, you will end up wiping and/ or cleaning the child's tushie, which is just what it is.

Now these things are very commonplace in parenthood and if you're thinking of having a child or like me, you're just trying to take parenting one step at a time, having these questions makes me smile and knowing how real they are everyday makes me want to thank my own parents.