I have currently been doing a lot of thinking about my personal situation and life in general.

I was wondering, if you had the chance to live a second life in another world, would you have children again?

I am not asking if you regret having YOUR kids,I know you wouldn't trade them for the world. I am just wondering if you would chose to have children in general again ( not your current children) or you would live a life without children.

If you would elaborate a bit more on your answer, that would be nice.

You know, I don't think so.

Not because I dislike being a mom or anything, but for one simple fact - I wasn't seeking out being a mom. So I don't know that, if given the opportunity TO seek it out, that I would.

I'm a little undecided on it, because I do enjoy being a mom, and I love my kid like crazy, but I just don't know.

If I did, that potential child would be an only, just like James, lol...

For me, Yes. Being a mom is really hard but it's also amazingly awesome. I've never felt such unconditional love for another person and I believe becoming a parent has made me a better person overall. I'm more patient, empathetic, and giving then I was before.

It's such an individual thing though, everyone experiences parenthood differently.

With the current world population at 7 billion and pollution growing and global warming threatening us, and the world economy shaky, no, sometimes I don't think I would. I often wonder what's going to become of my children's world in the future. The life we have known may well change for the worse within their lifetimes.

Although, I may not have pulled myself up by the bootstraps several times in my life, if not for my kids. They kept me going many times. And they have taught me what love and forgiveness really mean.

kk~

Yes, definitely. I always said I wasn't going to have children, then by thew time I was around 28 I started to think that I would like to have them someday because I didn't want to get to the age of grandparenthood and realised that I wanted children then and regret it.

Thereafter, I didn't really try but both times I fell pregnant were a 'whoops, oh well, might as well keep going' at both 32 and 37. Going back (or in an alternative universe), I definitely still wouldn't have them any earlier than I did, but I would still do the same thing again. There is so much of my life that I would potentially miss out on. I think having your own children teaches you the true meaning of unconditional and selfless love and the ultimate need to protect something with your whole being. There really isn't another comparable feeling in the world and one that, now I've experienced it, I couldn't imagine living without.

Having said that, there are still definitely times when I'd happily put my children into a baking dish and slow roast them in a 375 degree farenheit oven for 45 minutes...

Yup, I would. Having kids has taught me things I wouldn't have ever learned I think. Now, having my first kid at a better time in my life than when I was 20 and broke? Yeah, I'd do that over. But actually HAVING kids? Honestly it's been one of the greatest joys in my life- I definitely wouldn't be the same person I am right now without them. And like KK said, sometimes they've been the only reason for me to tough stuff out and keep on keepin' on.

And they're pretty fun, too... But I have a feeling that sentiment may change once they hit their teenage years

Being a Mom is so much of my identity I honestly can't imagine who I'd be without children.
And the pride you feel when you see your child being kind or discovering something new. There's a special and unique feeling there that without children you may not experience and I wouldn't want to go through my life without that. Discovering the world again through a child's innocence is an exhilarating experience.

Definitely. I have a lot of friends who don't have kids yet and we are mid-30's. I don't get it. What do they do with all the time? What are they going to do when they are older? I can't imagine my life without kids or grandkids. Although they can stress you out, they fill up your life with love!

^Hah, I'd have a job! By the time I ferry James around to school, and dance, and this and that, I've got about six minutes a week left that I could work. And I know, I'm super fortunate, in that I can stay home with him, and our family is still comfortably well off, but even still...

I do not have time for a job!! I am so, so busy all the time! Seriously, I have no idea how some moms have a job and still do all we do. I'm fortunate I've been able to be a SAHM but that in no way means all I've done is stay home and bake.

kk~

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I own a dance school, martial arts school and kids resale shop, and I still feel like I have plenty of time for my kids. I definitely spend more time with them and do more for them than my parents ever did (and they were good parents).

My husband and I have every Saturday night off. My kids go spend the night with Grandma and Grandpa, because they want to take them to church Sunday mornings (my husband and I don't go to church). Honestly, we enjoy it, but if we are without them more than that we end up looking at each other like "Now What?"

Most of the stay at home moms I know seem busier than me, including my sister. I swear she fills up every waking moment with something to do, some project or group meeting, etc.

I love my kids but could never be a stay at home mom. The 3 hrs a day that I really focus on them is enough for me. After that they start to annoy me! Still, I would have them again in a heartbeat. No more, though. Tubes tided, two is enough!

^I don't even get the perk of dropping James off at Grammas. Gramma number one lives in Arkansas, number two lives in Kentucky and number three lives in Indiana. I live in Michigan. Gramma ain't an option. :/

No, I would not have kids given a second life. Of course you never know how things would have turned out if you had chosen a different branch in the road and "the grass is always greener..." as they say. But I would definitely opt for trying a different path, different experiences, given another go-around.

Yes, I would. And even if I chose not to have them physically, I most certainly would have adopted, my alter ego. As a matter of fact, I'd have worked harder to get my life together sooner and made a good, comfortable (HUGE) home to adopt LOTS of children over a steady period of time.

Can you tell I want more kids, physically or via adoption, lol!

The funny thing is, kids annoy the hell out of me. But I love them anyway. I love babies. I just love young minds that are looking for guidance and direction. There's nothing like the sight of a dirty baby being put in a bath and made all clean, even when they're screaming and trying to get out, so funny! Or a young kid that comes home from school hungry and you get to feed them. Or a kid that honestly asks you 'why is the sky blue?' and you get to steer them to a computer and sit with them and look up the answer. Or a teenager struggling with something and they won't talk to you at first and then they come to you with their problem because they know they can trust you not to flip out on them. Nothing in the world like it.

But not everyone wants to do that. And that's okay, too.

THats a great question... And a hard question for most Moms to really answer honestly! I have 2 amazing kids, however both are extremely energetic and down right exshausting! I sometimes feel like I have 4 kids! LOl But to answer the question... Yes in a heartbeat! I cant imagine what I would do with out my kids. They have taught me so much more then I could ever hope to teach them. Now in highnsight I may have waited until we were a little more established as a married couple but honestly there really is not a "perfect situation"
Sometimes I think how much easier life would be if we just had 1 child... but it would depend on the moment you asked me as to which one I would keep!! HAHAAA!