Parenting Questionnaire?

Question

I am asking these questions for a child development class, it would truly be appreciated if you participate!

First, you must be a parent.

Questions...

1. What is your age?

2. How many children do you have?

3. Did you make a conscious decision to have your first child?

If so, what made you think you were ready for children?

If not, do you feel you were ready for children? Why or why not?

4. Why did you want to have children?

5. What physical changes did your first child make in your life?

6. What economic changes did your first child make in your life?

7. What emotional changes did your frist child make in your life?

8. What role changes occured between the parents after the first child was born?

9. What do you wish you had known before having children?

10. What support could have helped you cope with having and raising

children?

11. What additional changes did having a child make in your life?

12. Would you choose to have children again if you had it to do over? Why or Why not?

13. What have you liked best about being a parent?

14. What has been most difficult about being a parent?

15. Further comments you would like to make about parenting:

Thank you for taking the time to answer!

Answer 1

1. What is your age? 26

2. How many children do you have? 4

3. Did you make a conscious decision to have your first child? No

If so, what made you think you were ready for children? I lived on my own made my own money so I knew I could handle it.

If not, do you feel you were ready for children? Why or why not? Yes I think I was.  I was willing to quit all my bad habits and I was quite mature anyway.  Looking back on it now I was YOUNG but mature.

4. Why did you want to have children? I never though about it.  They are a joy that is for sure.

5. What physical changes did your first child make in your life? No sleep....messy as h**l cause he was a go getter.

6. What economic changes did your first child make in your life?  It was not a big one.  It was pretty cheap.  

7. What emotional changes did your frist child make in your life?  One more person to love.

8. What role changes occured between the parents after the first child was born?  None.

9. What do you wish you had known before having children?  Nothing....children are self explanatory. They eat, sleep, cry and have wet diapers.  You do have to know how to love someone without a return for several years though.

10. What support could have helped you cope with having and raising

children? Nothing.

11. What additional changes did having a child make in your life? None I couldn't really go and do whatever I wanted anymore though.

12. Would you choose to have children again if you had it to do over? Why or Why not?  I would have children yes but I would wait several years.

13. What have you liked best about being a parent? woops read that wrong the first time!  my fav is all the kisses you get and they always run to you when something is wrong.

14. What has been most difficult about being a parent? Oh the problems kids bring when they are older.  The bumps scrapes stitches and all that good stuff that happens to them just eats you alive specially if you witness it happen.

15. Further comments you would like to make about parenting:

It is not for everyone.  And it is hard!

Answer 2

Questions...

1. What is your age? 22

2. How many children do you have? 2 and 1 on the way

3. Did you make a conscious decision to have your first child? yes

If so, what made you think you were ready for children? i wanted children since i was 12

If not, do you feel you were ready for children? Why or why not?

4. Why did you want to have children? Because i wanted some one to love

5. What physical changes did your first child make in your life? i grew up

6. What economic changes did your first child make in your life? none

7. What emotional changes did your frist child make in your life? none

8. What role changes occured between the parents after the first child was born? none

9. What do you wish you had known before having children? have hard it is to care for toddlers

10. What support could have helped you cope with having and raising

children? wish i had good parents to baby sit my kids but i don't just junkies

11. What additional changes did having a child make in your life? None

12. Would you choose to have children again if you had it to do over? Why or Why not? later in life so i could go to college

13. What have you liked best about being a parent? all the love

14. What has been most difficult about being a parent? them not listening

15. Further comments you would like to make about parenting: i have great children they don't need much and hand me downs are great!

Answer 3

1.17

2.1

3.no, i dont feel that i was ready for child and wished it would not have happened so early but it happened and i love my son dearly and would not trade him for anything in the whole wide world.

4.i wanted to have children because they are a piece of you and its like watching you grow up all over again. I also love to be around children they are so much fun. But like I said before I still wish I would have waited

5.My son made alot of changes in me. Since I am a teen I had to grow up real quick!! He has brought lots of happiness to my life as well. As days go on and the more he grows I learn from the things he does and the way I act everyday of my life

6.The economic changes he made in my life were watching how much I spend, keeping things extremely clean around him as well as things outside.

7.I used to get extremly angry at people and jump to every conclusion that I thought up and got into alot of fights now I take it easy and take one day at a time and every obsticale that comes to me right when it hits me. I have learned to control my anger because if anything were to happen to me there would be no one to watch over my son.

8.At this moment in time I have to be the mom and the dad for my son because his father does not want any part of him.

9.I wish that I would have known that even though my son was not planed that his father was going to stick around no matter what. I also wish I new a little more about raising a child than I did

10.My mom has been my savior through this whole thing and with her support I feel like I can get through anything

11.Additional changes with my son in my life was geting frowned upon for being so young and having a child . Also there is all kinds of excitement now that hes here for example the littlest things he does make me smile and before I was a wild child and did not care about anything but myself

12.Honestly if I would have the chance to do it over again I would have to say no becuase being a teen mom is extremely hard.Also with knowing that the father is not around I would not do it over again because I have always told myself that my children are not going to grow up the way I did. Now once I was settled in with a good job and a loveing husband then yes I would have children

13.seeing you inside that little face and knowing that your child relises on you. Also all the excitment you have when something new happens or when they look into your eyes and you just melt

14.Being young I would have to say juggling all the other things that i have to do.And knowing the fact that his dad is not here to share every minuet of it all

15.even though you may be a young mother or father you can always give your children everything they need complete things like school and going off to college. dont let the obsticales of being a parent bring you down

Answer 4

Questions...

1. What is your age? 28

2. How many children do you have?1 and one on the way

3. Did you make a conscious decision to have your first child? Sort of

If so, what made you think you were ready for children?  We were in a good place financially and emotionally.

If not, do you feel you were ready for children? Why or why not?

4. Why did you want to have children? Yes

5. What physical changes did your first child make in your life? She took over the house.  

6. What economic changes did your first child make in your life?  She made a big change, as we decided I should only go back to work part time so that I could be with her more.

7. What emotional changes did your frist child make in your life?

She has made me a more emotional person overall.

8. What role changes occured between the parents after the first child was born?  Not a ton really.  We kind of serve the same roles as before plus baby.  Though dad is the fun one, mom is the practical one.

9. What do you wish you had known before having children?

How much they can make you worry.

10. What support could have helped you cope with having and raising

children?  I think that people don't realized how important it is to have a partner as committed to the baby as you are.  Thats been the biggest help raising the kids.

11. What additional changes did having a child make in your life?

They just make you think outside your wants and needs.  Its about them most of the time.

12. Would you choose to have children again if you had it to do over? Why or Why not? Absolutely, its the best thing I've ever done.

13. What have you liked best about being a parent?

Being part of something bigger than myself.

14. What has been most difficult about being a parent?

Discipline.

15. Further comments you would like to make about parenting:

Its not for everyone, and people should think long and hard about it before jumping in.

Answer 5

1. What is your age?  24 1/2

2. How many children do you have?  2

3. Did you make a conscious decision to have your first child?  yes

If so, what made you think you were ready for children?  got married and wanted to complete our family

If not, do you feel you were ready for children? Why or why not?

4. Why did you want to have children? again, to complete our family

5. What physical changes did your first child make in your life? losing weight

6. What economic changes did your first child make in your life? not too much. We aren't big spenders.

7. What emotional changes did your frist child make in your life? Alot! that much love for another person. Someone to depend on you for everything. It made my husband and I closer as well.

8. What role changes occured between the parents after the first child was born? well, certain things had to have a priority change. Take a back burner if you will. After a little time went by all things strighten themselves out. You just adjust to your new life.

9. What do you wish you had known before having children? again the weight thing LOL other than that I was pretty prepared.

10. What support could have helped you cope with having and raising

children? I have an awesome family. I feel very blessed to have. They were a great support system for me.

11. What additional changes did having a child make in your life? I worked and was going to school to be a nurse. Since I have had kids. My husband and myself have made the decision for me to stay at home and raise the kids. That is one thing that has taken a back burner. It is something I can always go back into when I am ready.

12. Would you choose to have children again if you had it to do over? Why or Why not? absolutely! My kids are my life!

13. What have you liked best about being a parent? How much love they have for me. I love when my son wakes me up in the morning with a kiss or watching my 2 kids playing and laughing with each other.

14. What has been most difficult about being a parent? since I am a stay at home mom I really don't get out much. I am pretty much devotiong my life to raising my kids. I know I should have more me time, but I can't stand being away from them. My son just started pre-k and that was so hard. LOL

15. Further comments you would like to make about parenting: It is the greatest reward in life. I soak in every moment of being a mom!!

Answer 6

First, you must be a parent.

Questions...

1. What is your age? 21

2. How many children do you have? 1 and pregnant

3. Did you make a conscious decision to have your first child? yes

If so, what made you think you were ready for children? I got pregnant and Its my responsibility to take care of him.

If not, do you feel you were ready for children? Why or why not?

4. Why did you want to have children? They are fun to watch grow, learn and discover new things!

5. What physical changes did your first child make in your life? Amazing I smiled more. You will never know that love til you becom a mom.

6. What economic changes did your first child make in your life? A child does make a dent in a pocket book, but worth it all!

7. What emotional changes did your frist child make in your life? I cried, was happy, then sad, just so many more.

8. What role changes occured between the parents after the first child was born? We werent just married we were parents

9. What do you wish you had known before having children? Nothing really I knew it wasnt easy and I knew it was rewardful.

10. What support could have helped you cope with having and raising

children? My mom helped and my in-laws helped alot

11. What additional changes did having a child make in your life? Your whole life changes when you have a child. You are not just responsible for you anymore you have a lil one who relies on you

12. Would you choose to have children again if you had it to do over? Why or Why not? No I wouldnt change a thing.

13. What have you liked best about being a parent? It makes you happy, its nice to have someone hwo relies soly upon you.

14. What has been most difficult about being a parent? Dealing with the different moods and stages. Different dicipline techniques for different stages!

15. Further comments you would like to make about parenting: Being a mother is very rewardful I am very glad to have my son and this lil one inside me!

Thank you for taking the time to answer!

Answer 7

ok i dont have any kids yet, but my cousin is here so she will answer instead

1. 25

2. 2 (aged 7 and 2)

3. well i had my daughter at 18 and i knew that even though i was young i was going to do the best to make my daughter happy and give her a nice home, so her father and i brought our own house and she was born and thing shave been fine since then, we have needed our parents help occasionally to look after them if we are both at work etc but overall we are glad that we had our first daughter and then our second 2 years ago.

4. i dont really know, i had always been into the whole "find you prince charming, get married in a pretty white dress, have children" thing and i dont know everything just seemed to work out for me.

5. ahaah i got fat and i had to give up netball but nothing that i dont regret.

6. of course there was less money but that was a good thing because it motivated me to get out and work.

7. nothing really, i was very happy.

8. my bf, Jonas and i would take Liv whenever we were at home and then when we happened to both be working at the same time she would go to my mums house or my cousins, they live in the same suburb.

9. that your washing load would increase so much and that you have to watch them all the time (especially 2 yo Charlotte, she has a tendency to put anything in her mouth that fits) ahaha

10. nothing i have everything i need, we are coping fine.

11. we had to buy a house get a job (i am now a nurse and he is a hotel manager) Also buy a car and everything else.

12. of course i would like to have 2 more children i would LOVE to have a boy, but i would be happy with either gender and so would my hubby.

13. everything has been great, i have experienced to completely different kids (Olivia is sweet and quiet and loving and Charlotte is a rouugh and tumble tomboy who never sits still)

14. being so young

15. its not as easy as it sounds!

Answer 8

1. 27

2. 1

3. Yes, I was in a happy and stable relationship, was financially independant and wanted to raise a child.  

4. To add a new dimension to my relationship with my husband.  we had always wanted children, it's just right for us.

5. None, maybe the odd doll in the living room now!!

6. We spend on the baby what we used to spend on going out. so none.

7. I have more emotions to go round!

8. None

9. I wish I knew how hard it is to be consistant the whole time!

10. Nothing more than I had.  Family and friends were what I needed and that worked out just fine.

11. None, we do nothing differently now than we did before.

12.Yes, was the best thing ever!  She makes me smile when I am down, and makes me laugh harder than ever!  There always was a lot of love in our family, but there is even more now.

13. EVERYTHING!!!!

14. Staying consistent, sometimes you feel like you can't say the same thing over again, but you do, and it all works out.

15.  Parenting is the best thing ever, but also the more you expect to get out, the more you have to expect to put in to it.  Work hard and reap the rewards.

Answer 9

1. 33

2. Two

3. Yes.  I had worked with children in a preschool setting, taken college courses in child development, and felt that I was adequately prepared to have my own.

4. Because I loved working with children, and wanted a family of my own.

5. Aside from stretch marks?  Having to have space for them... an extra room in the house, crib, toys, changing table, etc.

6. I had to scrimp and save... I left my husband when she was 4 months old, so I had to go on financial assistance and move in with my parents to make ends meet.

7.  She was the most incredible addition to me.  I never loved anyone more- and I had to do what was best for her- regardless of anything else.

8. I became everything... I had to be mom and dad, and do it all.

9. To make sure that you picked the right person to have children with.  Now that I have been remarried to a wonderful man for several years, I see what it could have been like for my first daughter.

10. Having a supportive husband, like I have now.  It is totally different having my second husband help raise the children.

11. It made you really think about the consequences of your behavior... you don't just have yourself to worry about anymore, and have to make decisions based on someone else.

12. Absolutely.  I love my kids  more than anything in the world, and couldn't imagine not having them in my life.

13. Seeing them change and grow over time.  Looking back at photos of when they were young, and seeing the amazing things that they can do.  They change so fast, and yet, slowly over time.

14. Trying to figure out how to handle situations that you've never dealt with before.  And, trying to figure out the best way to help your children turn into the kind of people you want them to be- without losing your mind.  The most difficult part is understanding that YOU have to change in order for your child to change.

15. There is nothing that compares to it!

Answer 10

1.  31

2.  2 year old daughter

3.  No, but I guess I neglected to use protection, so here she is.  I was terrified during the pregnancy, but after she was born I was more ready than I realized.

4.  I didn't think I wanted kids.  I'm sure glad I have one though.

5.  Physical?  You mean how did it mess up my body?  The usual, saggy b***s, loose belly skin.

6.  This may sound strange, but I think I'm better off economically than I was before.  I don't spend money frivilously and I get a lot of perks being a single Mom (I live in Canada).

7.  Astrinomical emotional changes, and all for the better!!  She taught me what unconditional love is, she taught me about tolerance, she taught me to enjoy the simple things in life... I could go on forever.

8.  We were in a loveless relationship when we got pregnant, and after my daughter's birth I knew I wanted out of the relationship.  Unfortunaley, he wanted the relationship to go farther.  I moved out when my daughter was 10 month sold.  We have a very healthy, shared custody, co-parenting relationship, and I am very happy with this arrangement.

9.  That it would come this naturally.  I would have done it sooner.

10.  Better breastfeeding support.  Child minding support.  

11.  Too many to list... it's a whole new life.

12.  Absolutely... she's the best mistake I ever made!!

13.  Watching her learn and being amazed by the littlest things.

14.  Time management

15.  It's a long, hard, wageless and thankless job... and worth every minute.

Answer 11

I will help you! :)

1. I am 29

2. Two

3. No she was not planned.  I don't think anyone is REALLY ready for a baby, but I thought I was ready.

4. I always knew I wanted kids maybe not as young as I was. (I was 20 when I had her)

5. Tons of changes, from my sleeping schedule, only time with my husband.

6. As we were quite young, it made quite an impact on our financial situation. We had to pay for day care, which is very expensive, and diaper and formula is out of control.

7. We were so happy to have her, and love her so much. I just couldn't imagine life with out her.

8. Not to much role changing happened after we had her. We continued to go on with life, with a baby. My husband finished school and I still worked full time.

9. How much the baby would be up at night! :)

10. I had a great family which helped me out alot. I know not every one is so fortunate.

11. Well had to get a bigger place to live, and be a better person in general to be a better role model.  

12. Absolutely!!! No matter how broke we were and how much sleep I wasn't getting I would never have done anything different. She is the most amazing person I know!!!

13. The pride and joy I feel everyday from having them with me!!!

14. Stress that I might not be a good mom and that I might let my daughters down.

15. Parenting has made such an impact on my life and I am so thankful to have two great daughters.