In a constantly evolving world, opportunities for women are being presented in tumultuous amounts. I feel very safe in saying that here in the United States a woman can be or do just about anything she sets her mind to. My parents raised me with this core belief. With a lot of hard work and perseverance I could achieve what I wanted in my life. Education was always revered with great respect. As long as I can remember, my parents continuously stressed the importance of a college education. In a career minded world, we are seeing more and more woman making personal choices that do not follow the norm of tradition. The choice to parent is probably one of the most important decisions an individual could make. It is definitely not something to be entered lightly. I can only speak honestly and openly from my own experience.
I am a traditional woman in that I have always believed in the wonderful opportunity to find the right person, make a commitment, get married, have children, and, well, hopefully live happily ever after! Idealistic? Yes! I started out going to college, but was not so successful at first. However, in the mean time, I did meet the right person, make a commitment, and get married. Doing this at a young age, even ten years ago, was pretty abnormal because most young women at the age of twenty were focused on school , career, and enjoying life sans marriage and children.
My husband and I had always talked about the possibility of having children, but never actually made any plans. We were so young, focused on figuring out what we wanted to do when we grew up, and paying the rent. After three years of marriage, a little bit of school, and a lot of hard work at decent jobs, we found out that we were going to have a baby. We had always taken proper precautions but found ourselves about to be parents. I had never looked at it as a choice but just the natural course of the life I had chosen initially.
Hindsight is always 20/20! I believe that getting married and having children has been one of the most amazing things I could do in my lifetime. Parenting a child is one of the most intense yet gratifying experiences. Once you become a parent, your world is not just yours anymore and the responsibility is tremendous. Knowing this now that I have actually experienced it, has opened my eyes to the "other" side. I can understand why women are waiting longer and longer to have children. With life's other endless opportunities each individual has to make a choice how her life is going to map out. Including the molding and shaping of another person's life into your own life is a never ending commitment that you must steadfastly stay attuned with.
"Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." ~Elizabeth Stone
It is definitely an important decision to become a parent! A decision I think a lot of people take for granted. I am always impressed with the women I meet in class that have had children and careers and have decided to come back to school. They are truly special people! I personally cannot wait to have my own family someday, and your blog makes me even more excited! :)
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ReplyDeleteWhat a great post! I think you captured what many women, especially those returning to school in our online program, are experiencing. Women today are definitely faced with this juggle, and this is one of the reasons I just love teaching at TWU. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this issue and the beautiful photo!
Your children should be proud to have such a dedicated mother as you. They have a great role model to follow for the rest of their lives! I, too, married at a young age, went to college, had a career and had babies all throughout that journey. I now find myself back in school as my children are fast approaching jr and high schools. They have always taken my career and now the path of my own schooling in stride with their activities and schedules. I feel that I am teaching them a great lesson of how to be a successful individual with opportunities always available to those who strive to do their best. I loved the quote from Elizabeth Stone...it is SO true!!
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