On Having Kids

Here are my thoughts on having kids of my own:

• Awesome. Great. I do want kids of my own… just not now.
• Or at any point in the near future, actually.
• But when I’m settled and am ready to have them, I want them.
• I think.

The reason why I’m suddenly unsure of whether or not I actually want kids (regardless of whether or not they are my own) is because I have been staying at my godmother’s for New Year’s festivities. She has two adorable, yet terrifying, little boys, ages 5 and 8. Needless to say, I have spent much of New Year’s weekend chasing around after these two, trying to keep them entertained while also attempting to have some private “alone time” to salvage my sanity.

It’s not that they always tag along after me; I am a girl, after all, and they are far less interested in me than they would be in my brother, if he were here too. It’s the fact that I am another audience for them, another source of entertainment. I’ve done everything from watch movies with them to play games to have them “help me” check my email and Facebook. Hell, they even want to “help me” read when I’m reading on my Kindle by pressing the page turn button every time I need to turn the page! These boys are full of boundless energy; I get tired just watching them jump around and shout hour after hour.

Last month, when I was traveling around China with my best (guy) friend, a lot of people asked if we were married. Which was a little surprising, but seeing as most of the locals we encountered during our travels thought we were 4-7 years older than we actually were, it was a question to be expected. However, once we got asked how our kids were! OUR KIDS. My friend and I are both twenty years old; if we had kids, we would not be able to afford to go explore China for a month. We wouldn’t be able to afford to be in China, first of all. Once I got over the shock of the question, I laughed for a good five minutes over that one.

So… kids. I still want them in the faraway future, but right now, the idea of having them is a little overwhelming. As it should be, for where I am in my life right now. I still have the rest of my youth ahead of me!

Cross-posted from breakthesky.net. Please leave any comments there.