Q. How do I know if I am ready to be a parent?
A. Everyone's situation is different, but being a parent is possibly one of the biggest personal decisions one can make.
Parenting can be joyful, rewarding, and life-changing and for some it is also one of the most difficult roles.
Raising a child or children takes a lot of resources which are not always quantifiable and requires a lot of energy, money and patience.
The needs of a child evolve constantly and will bring a different set of challenges as they grow. The financial, education-related, social, emotional or psychological stressors of raising a child can make this journey frustrating and isolating.
It helps to be realistic and willing to constantly interrogate what it means to you to be a parent and what your child needs in a parent.
Food, shelter, safety, affection, love, time, energy and guidance are some of the qualities necessary for raising a child. It helps to have a day-to-day plan for yourself and your children as well as long-term planning for their needs.
It's normal to have lots of different feelings about whether you're ready to be a parent.
Regardless of the circumstances of a pregnancy, if you are uncertain if you want to continue with the pregnancy, get information and medical advice in order to make an informed decision.
Raising a child in a safe and healthy environment, ensuring you have affordability, support from your family, and your own future are important.
The job of a parent is to support, nurture and assist the child to figure out how to live a happy and healthy life.
The ability to decide if and when one wants to be a parent is a human right that should be met with quality and accessible sexual and reproductive health services.
• Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng (MBChB), sexual and reproductive health practice, Disa Clinic, safersex.co.za.
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