Are You Parent Material? Signs You’re Responsible Enough for Parenthood

Do you think you’re parent material? The truth is, there is no one right way to start a family. Most parents learn a huge portion of what they know on the job.

You should be ready before making any major, life-changing decision. When it comes to parenting, you should double that preparedness because another life is at stake. Financial and emotional preparedness, long-term planning, and sound decision-making are important factors when determining whether or not you are parent material.

If you're determined to dive into this commitment, then here are some things that you should think about.

Are you emotionally mature?

Having money to raise a child is one thing, but that is only half of the equation. Becoming a parent comes with many emotional twists and turns, so you must learn to manage your feelings. Not to mention, the pressure of being in charge of another person can become overwhelming.


Being emotionally mature will help you through when times get tough. From refusing to let them eat a cookie for breakfast to guiding them through life, you should be able to make hard decisions that will benefit everyone, especially your children, in the long term.

You can take care of others.

Being caring and considerate are necessary parenting qualities. You don’t need to have a child first to know that you can care for others. You may have taken care of a pet or another family member. Or even yourself. If you've managed to stay on top of their needs, then you're can count yourself as responsible enough to be a parent.

Being a parent means choosing to put others first (most of the time, anyway). You might have to forego nights out to put your child to sleep or skip former shopping habits in favor of school fees. Sacrifice is a term often thrown around in parenting, but much has to be said about the gratification of seeing your children smile and grow.

You know what it means to be financially responsible.

While the size of your income surely plays a factor in how you raise your kids, perhaps a more important metric is how you budget your earnings.

Being financially responsible means you've set your priorities straight when it comes to spending, saving, and yes, even splurging. You believe in quality over quantity, plan for the long haul, think before you buy, and understand that true comfort is having your money work for you and not the other way around.

You can start being financially responsible by learning how to break down your payment and make the most out of what you earn. Check out this infographic below to see how you can wisely spend your money:

Cut yourself some slack. You're parent material simply by reading this. You are definitely a person with a plan! Futureproof your baby's future with FWD’s Babyproof. This plan helps you breathe a little easier thanks to its built-in investment that grows with your child. Their financial future is something that they--and you--won’t have to worry about