Lots of people have kids, but that doesn’t mean they should. A Reddit thread asks, “What are some signs you should NOT become a parent?” These are some huge red flags that someone isn’t ready to be a mom or dad, according to Reddit users.
- "If you do it in the hopes of 'saving' or 'advancing' your relationship, or if you wish to 'compensate' for perceived lack of personal achievements."
- "If you have kids in the hopes of achieving a 'little best friend' who is 'just like your little carbon copy' and will 'love you forever,' DON'T HAVE KIDS!!!"
- "If you can't look after yourself first."
- "If you're doing it just because everyone else is."
- "If you're doing it just because your partner wants one, and you're doing it to make them happy."
- "If you view your child as a mold in which you can shape, alter, and control, pinning all of your failed aspirations and ambitions on them and forcing them to be something they are not — rather than acknowledging your role as a guide, motivator, and a pillar of support to help them discover and forge their own identity and loving them even more because of it."
- "If you aren’t 100% sure that you want kids, and aren’t willing to sacrifice most of your life to do so, even if they end up being 'difficult' or having special needs, then you shouldn’t have them."
- "If you’re thinking of having kids so they can be your retirement plan, then please don’t."
- "If you want to use them for content on your social media account."
- "If you have mental health issues and can barely keep yourself happy, let alone raise a human being."
- "I always tell people, 'Go buy a dog first, and see how you do.' Want something that loves you unconditionally? Go buy a dog. Don't make a kid."
- "If you don't want kids."
- "If you believe having children is the only way one can have a legacy."
- "If you are still a kid yourself."
Source: Reddit