Becoming_A_Parent__A_Complex_Look_at_the_Decision_to_Have_a

Becoming A Parent: A Complex Look at the Decision to Have a Child Becoming a Parent: A complex look at the decision to have a child. Having a baby has become an increasingly popular idea, causing thousands of couples and singles alike to consider parenthood. As Engel (1998) points out, “…the decision to have a baby (adopt a child) is not reversible.” Becoming a parent means you are ultimately responsible for another human being’s emotional and physical well-being. Many factors and decisions are to be made in choosing to have a child. Belsky & Kelly (1994), Engel (1998), and Gershaw (1996) all agree that exploring reasons to have a child, the couples’ relationships, and willingness to become a parent are all very important key issues upon deciding to have a child. Exploring reasons for wanting a child is a psychological feature in this decision making process to have a child. As Belsky and Kelly (1994) agree, there are many aspects of the parenthood decision. Three major aspects need to be explored: 1. Whether you are physically, mentally, and emotionally ready to become a parent 2. Whether you are willing to face the changes in your lifestyle and relationship that this lifelong commitment entails 3. Whether you are child, children, relationship, people, reasons, parent, willingness, ready, parents, parenthood, important, decision, whether, time, become, willing, very, transition, out, involves, having, engel, couples, belsky, 1998, 1994, women, without, wanting, upon, someone, should, process, means, make, love, look, life, kelly, gershaw, extremely, example, deciding, commitment, before, becoming, another, able, 1996, world