Title: Evaluate personal readiness for becoming a parent.
Course: Child Development and Parenting (19255-18) > Section: Analyzing Parenting Roles and Responsibilities

Evaluation should include

- summarizing the emotional, social, intellectual, physical, financial, and occupational rewards and challenges of parenting
- identifying ways in which the parenting role may change one’s life (e.g., limits on personal time and freedom; changes in personal relationships; increased financial pressures; feelings of frustration, confusion, isolation, and loneliness; frequent exhaustion)
- developing solutions for the challenges the parenting role may present
- analyzing one’s reasons for wanting or not wanting to become a parent, based on personal beliefs and values, social customs, and physical and emotional needs
- assessing practical considerations related to parental preparedness (e.g., finances and availability of necessary resources, including transportation, employability, work responsibilities, state of health and strength, relationship with spouse or partner, managerial and coping skills, emotional maturity, level of education, knowledge of human growth and development).

Process/Skill Questions

Thinking

- What changes occur when a couple makes a sound decision to start a family? What are the consequences when people become parents for unsound reasons?
- What factors support successful parenting? What factors inhibit successful parenting?
- How does a good relationship between parents help build a strong family?
- Why is age a factor in becoming parents? At what age are you ready to become a parent?
- What factors help to determine when individuals are ready to become parents?
- What are alternatives to not birthing a child? How does this affect the challenges of parenting?
- What contradictions exist between the perception of parenthood and the actual realities of parenthood?

Communication

- What does a person need to believe about parenting to become a successful parent?
- What communication skills will help evaluate readiness for parenthood?
- What resources are available to help you determine if you are ready to become a parent?

Leadership

- What are the consequences of becoming a parent too soon?
- What resources are available if you need childcare?
- How can others be encouraged to consider readiness factors before becoming a parent?

Management

- How can the actions of a prospective parent support or constrain the development of their future children?
- What management skills will help evaluate readiness for parenthood?