Having kids

[G-Man]

Having kids

it's just jaw-droppingly wonderful to spend so much time with the love and potential your own child represents.

Totally right and beautifully put.

Steveeeeee, the question you should ask yourself is not whether you'd be a good father, but whether you feel ready to make the sacrifices having a child require of you and the steveeeeeeeette. (You know, like watching Madagascar VI without your old popcorn trick.)

Your father's shortcomings might make you a better father. My father was absent for chunks of my childhood because of his career. Because of that, I made a conscious decision to be there for my son, foregoing some career opportunities. It's a question of priorities and sacrifice. If you really think that you'd turn out like your dad, think twice. If you are conscious of his shortcomings and determined not to make the same mistakes as he did, then know that the qualities of fatherhood are not necessarily (if at all) genetically determined.

Another point: Do you really know that you'll want to have the potential mother of your child in your life forever – and vice versa?

[Wyatt Earp]

Having kids

ad hoc wrote:

I actually think you can overthink it.

Yeah, I do too.

[Guest]

Having kids

Maybe think for a bit about how you would feel if you were told you could never have kids? Your reaction to that might help you analyse your feelings.

Me, I would like a couple of kids but it's looking unlikely. It's pretty sad to think that this transcendental love that you all go on about is never going to be experienced.

[Guest]

Having kids

Sultan of Bruno wrote:

See, I think the answer "Who cares if Spiderman is stronger than Hawkgirl" would be entirely legitimate, even purposeful. You could go on to explain that it's the content of their characters that matters. He would look at you with newfound awe and respect.

It may also create an interesting dynamic for the kid once (s)he's in kindergarten, school, whatever. Depending on the crowd there, comparing superhero skill sets and aptitudes... matters.

I'm not suggesting the answer given is any way bad (quite the opposite!). It's certainly much more admirable than the answer I'd give (a long and tedious discussion of, er, skill sets and aptitudes, as well as an analysis of historical information). I hope when my offspring get to the comic book reading age, I'll have the wisdom to give the best possible answer.

[hobbes]

Having kids

The answer is, of course Spiderman. Because Hawkgirl is a girl.

[Anton Gramscescu]

Having kids

Hawkgirl v. Spiderman is easy. Things get really difficult to answer once you start crossing fantasy worlds. How would Spiderman fare against a Balrog, for instance? What about Wonder Woman vs. Buttercup from the Powerpuff girls? These are the really tricky questions that childhood raises.

[Wyatt Earp]

Having kids

Abu Benito al Manitobani wrote:

What about Wonder Woman vs. Buttercup from the Powerpuff girls?

Come on, you're having a laugh. Buttercup wins easy, every time.

[G-Man]

Having kids

Buttercup the green one? I like the blue one.

[Er Liquidatore]

Having kids

The other irrational factor involved in this is that we took a 3 week old kitten off of a colleague of mine who had found her on the street close to death. We've nurtured her back to health and she's now 6 months old, in heat and permanently acting nuts. But in all honesty, I don't like her that much, she doesn't behave the way I want her to and I find her a general annoyance in my day to day life, even though I make sure she's fed, her litter tray is clean and she can't bare to be without me (she screams when I leave the house). Having the cat has got me thinking, what if this was my kid and s/he didn't turn out how I think my kid should turn out? Would I have the same feelings?

It never ceases to amaze me how often people compare looking after a pet with a human being.

[Wyatt Earp]

Having kids

Bad Willow beats them all though. In every way.

[ursus arctos]

Having kids

Having kids changes the way you look at the world.

You probably need to be a New Yorker to get all of the references, but trust me, it's absolutely brilliant.

[Incandenza]

Having kids

Those are great (the Subway Series was my favorite). But I'm not sure why the artist thinks that getting a check or stepping in dog doo is a New York thing. Still, reminds me a bit of Saul Steinberg in Lego form.

[Reed John]

Having kids

It may also create an interesting dynamic for the kid once (s)he's in kindergarten, school, whatever. Depending on the crowd there, comparing superhero skill sets and aptitudes... matters.

I'm not suggesting the answer given is any way bad (quite the opposite!). It's certainly much more admirable than the answer I'd give (a long and tedious discussion of, er, skill sets and aptitudes, as well as an analysis of historical information). I hope when my offspring get to the comic book reading age, I'll have the wisdom to give the best possible answer.

I'm teaching my nephew all about superheroes. I'm into them and now he is. He's also into pirates, which I also like and know a bit about, and trains and buses. The latter two are my brother and father's territory. He's also learning about sports. We're indoctrinating him into liking Penn State sports.

He asks a lot of those comparative questions like is Hawkgirl as strong as Spider-man? or Is Penn State as good at volleyball as Iowa? (answer, Penn State is better than everyone at volleyball). He's five and just started kindergarten. I guess these sorts of questions do matter because he's learning how to learn.

It also teaches me a new way to think because some of his questions are a bit more complex and I have to figure out a way to explain it to a five year old. For example, "Why are there so many bad guys in Gotham City?" or "Why do Grandma and Grampa live near the mountains?"

His sister is three and hasn't really gotten into the "Why" stage.

[Bored Of Education]

Having kids

The emotional impact of raising a child, for me, has more, or at least as much, to do with the sorts of things that all children have in common than with the fact that it is my child.

I know that this a paternally based thread but your view is very different of rmothers of adopted children because of the lack of physical bonding during pregnanacy.

Fathers always have to work at bonding with their children so find it easier with adopted children