Deciding to have a kid is an important decision. Sam and I have been talking about the kid factor. We are waiting a little while. Not too long because we know kids are a great blessing. What kind of blessing can kids be if they end up causing most marriages to decline in marital satisfaction.
The purpose of parenting according to Popkins is to protect and prepare a child to thrive in society. I felt this point is part of it but also for fulfillment in life, happiness, and to grow as a person. Becoming a parent means you have to sacrifice the way you have always lived. A child changes couples lives.
There are specific parenting styles. I took an online quiz to come up with a parenting style based on what I believe and imagine parenting will be like. I would not consider it accurate because I don't know what it it like to be a parent. Sam and I have talked about how hard the teenage years will be. Adolescence is hard years in development. They are going exponentially in those moments. They don't have the best control of their emotions and can't always make sound decisions. Parents need to actively, warmly, and firmly parent a child. You shouldn't force them to do what you want or manipulate them. You need to give appropriate choices and help them learn from bad choices. They learn not from whatbyou tell them to do but when they fall. When they work hard and grow, they gain significant attributes that will ensure they are good citizens.
