Former fence sitters who had kids - what do you enjoy about it?
EDIT: I am so incredibly moved by all of your beautiful comments and stories and attempts you’ve made to convey something that sounds otherworldly. Congratulations to all of you! I definitely feel like I have a lot to mull over.
I was planning on being childfree my whole life. My sibling and I were the only grandchildren for years until all my aunts and uncles had kids at once, and family get togethers, from my teenage perspective, were a nightmare. I started calling it the best birth control ever. Seeing my beloved family members be weathered down by their children and all of the stress and work it takes to raise a child turned me off completely to the idea of ever having one. However, as I’ve gotten older (I’m 30 now) and met some really cool parents and even some cool kids and seen my cousins grow into wonderful people, I’ve softened on the idea that with the right person, it could be fun.
I recently started dating someone where that thought was triggered. They want to have kids, but I’m still very much wavering toward being child free (looking at the fence, not sure if I want to sit on it). One of the things I’ve been confused about for years is what people love about raising a child. Everyone comments that they love it and it’s “indescribable,” but I don’t want to gamble with my own life and one I’d have to create without getting a sense of what this experience could entail positively (I’ve seen enough of the negative). Are you able to articulate what’s fun or enjoyable about being a parent? Or is it simply something you have to do?