KayDee

I second this, and other comments about the western/American way of parenting. Similarly, I wasn’t 100% sure I wanted kids but didn’t want to miss the chance, so decided to try. I’m now raising a daughter, in a multicultural household with a wonderful extended family nearby; she brings us so much joy with much less stress/exhaustion than I expected. I have made the conscious decision to let go of a lot of the efforts at control that can accompany American parenting culture, choosing instead to welcome the community who loves on my daughter and cares for her – and allows my partner and I to retain a fair amount of independence from our “old” life. Not isolated, not blah, and no regrets.