Things you should do before you have children

fluffnutter

jollymummy wrote: »

Go to lots of gigs and festivals - my added bonus is now, my hearing isn't as good as it used to be, so I can drown out the noise of Sonic & Mario

Unusual names for your boys.

fluffnutter

Karen_Aviv wrote: »

In my opinion, you have to be settle first before having a baby. What I mean is before anything else you must have decent job first or your future husband. I really love kids, I want to have at least 3 kid but it can wait.

Not forever it can't.

fluffnutter

mandragora wrote: »

Buy nappies now, whenever you see them on special offer?

(I can remember thinking 'Why didn't I buy the odd pack of disposable nappies when we had some spare money'.... once our two came along in a space of 20 months. I wish I'd stockpiled some in the years beforehand -though wouldn't have wanted to tempt fate by actually doing it...)

But stockpiling anything up to size 4 means you're very likely to end up with nappies your baby's grown out of. My son was only in size 1 and size 2 for a matter of weeks. As it was I had to give one bag of nappies away to my local maternity ward.

Molly41

fluffnutter wrote: »

Love it! After a year of breastfeeding my tits are now down to my knees and I've only just finished last Sunday's paper

They do perk up again. I breast fed four and now they are quite jaunty again.

clairehi

From an MSE perspective, definitely go on (non-child friendly) holiday outside the school hols until you have to!

However, since having kids, I really appreciate the freedom of the one weekend away a year that OH and I have together on our own so much more than I would have had before. Its hard to appreciate a lie-in so much while you still have that freedom on tap!

sassyblue

Enjoy lie-ins

Going to the toilet without someone shouting 'mummy where are you' and/or the door opening and then asking 'mummy what are you doing - a wee or a poo?'

Getting yourself ready and simply going out the door!

Enjoy meals peacefully

Watching the tv without the subtitles on because you can't hear a thing. (Kids always strike up as a good bit is coming on)

Enjoy your clothes staying clean

Not stepping on tiny toys - lego is evil.

Enjoy holidays at reasonable prices because you don't have to go in the school holidays.

Talking to your husband without anyone interrupting.

Having said all that, kids bring so much joy and pleasure to your life we would never be without them. :A

DKLS

Enjoy some time with your friends and whats left of your social life.

I have noticed that we barely see our friends who have kids and trying to arrange a night out or do is a nightmare and to be truthful, those friendships have faded over the years.

flutterby_lil

ilovelondontown wrote: »

Title says it all,

Husband and I are "getting our ducks in a row" (aka financially) before we look to start a family next year and getting ducks in a row is taking longer than I'd like, so I've got time on my hands before life changes forever so I decided to starting a fun thread for anyone to comment on - if you have kids or not / if you want them or not / if you are a big kid...

Can I have you suggestions please?

My two biggest suggestions are sleep and save, sleep and save, sleep and save!!

Bangton

I'm pregnant now and have no regrets as to what I haven't yet done despite not having had much in the way of holidays which I love. In fact my partner and I have only just really got to an almost debt free life and started to live freely and I got knocked up!

Maybe I'm naive (I'm frequently told it!) but I just don't care. My baby will just go wherever I go! We had planned to have more holidays, visit China, New York - places we've never afforded in the past and to be honest those plans haven't changed because I'm having a baby. This first year I probably will spend alot of time at home and with family but after that the worlds still my oyster whether I have a child or not.

That's not to criticise you for getting everything in order first it's just I personally have endured so many months of 'life will change forever' 'you can't do this, that and the other' and deep down thought YES I CAN!

System

I started my family young. My first child was born when I was just 18. My last child was born when I was in my mid 30s with three other children in the middle.

Things I regret thinking about it:

Not forging myself a career. Not having high enough expectations for myself. Thinking back, I was on the right path I just didn't follow it through.

Travel. I'm lost outside my back door and ive only lived here 51 years. Ive never been abroad.

Social life. Ive only ever been to one late night party at someones house... a party where everyone gets hammered and makes a twit of themselves. Ive never been to a nightclub.

Learning to drive. I should have learned years ago alongside the career I should have forged for myself.