The LiveTrue book collection comprises some of the best nonfiction books that relate to living a life that’s true to oneself, others and our world. One big area of living true involves the biggest decision we will make – whether to become parents. There are a good number of books out there that help people make the best decision for themselves in this regard, but there are two that continue to stand the test of time.
One is The Parenthood Decision: Discovering Whether You are Ready and Willing to Become a Parent. (cover above). Here is an excerpt from the LiveTrue summary of the book:
This book is an unsentimental, clear-eyed guide to deciding whether you want to become a parent. Author Beverly Engel prompts her readers to evaluate not only their desire to have children, but their readiness, willingness, and ability to raise them. While not discouraging people from having children, neither does the book sugarcoat the realities of parenthood. The author includes a discussion of adoption as an option, and pays special attention to the increasing number of single women having children on their own…
The other is I’m OK You’re a Brat!: Setting the Priorities Straight and Freeing You from the Guilt and Mad Myths of Parenthood by Susan Jeffers Ph.D. About half of I’m OK You’re a Brat! helps parent readers make peace with being good, but imperfect parents.
The other half is extremely helpful to those who are in the midst of deciding whether to become parents to get real about the parenthood choice. She stresses that until people become parents, there is no way to be sure they will love the process of parenting, and thinks they’ll have a better chance if they say “Yes” to:
“Even though your life is good now, you are ready to trade your present life for a different one.”
“You’ve already experienced many things in life you always wanted to experience, such as travel, education, work.”
“You are OK with putting certain aspects of your relationship and other areas of your life on the back burner until the child grows up.”
“You understand that the parenting process may be very difficult!”
Good, aren’t they? These are just a few, and Jeffers also excellently picks apart the “top 10 mad, mad myths about parenthood” in her book.
While both books came out some time back, the terrain of each remains invaluable to making the parenthood decision today.
Are there other books on this topic you have read and would recommend?