How Do You Know You're Ready To Have Kids?

My husband recently finished building a deck in our backyard, so we decided to take it for a test drive and have a few of friends and their kids over for a little backyard BBQ.  I was sitting on the deck with a friend of ours who doesn't have any kids, enjoying some grown-up conversation.  The kids were running around the backyard, playing with Barbies and running through the sprinkler, and he turned to me and asked, "How do you know when you're ready to have kids?".  Boy, talk about grown-up conversation...

But, it got me thinking, how do you know?  My dad always says, if you wait till you can afford kids, you'll never have them.  So, I knew there had to be more ways to know that you are for sure ready to jump into the kiddy pool, so to speak.  Here's what I came up with.  Let me know if you agree.

1) If you usually spend your Sundays curled up on the couch with a good book, or a Will and Grace marathon and think to yourself, "gee, this just doesn't cut it for me any more.  I am bored with lazy Sundays on the couch".  Then you're ready for kids.

2) Remember the last blockbuster movie you saw?  When it was over, did you find yourself saying, "there just aren't enough high-pitched voices, annoyingly catching musical numbers, or animated animals"?  Then you're ready for kids.

3) When walking down the street, in line at the grocery store, or shopping at the mall, do you wonder what people are thinking about you, what you're doing, and how you're doing it, and wish they'd offer some unsolicited advice?  Then you're ready for kids. 

4) Is privacy no longer an issue for you?  Do you feel no shame changing, showering, or going to the washroom in front of an audience?  Then you're ready for kids.

5) Do you wake up in the morning and think, "I got way too much sleep.  I should really cut back".  Then you're ready for kids.

6) Do you find a clean, tidy house boring and pretentious?  Then you're ready for kids. 

7) Are you tired of people listening to what you say, and doing what you ask, and are looking for someone to challenge you...on everything?  Then you're ready for kids.

8) Do you love hot dogs and Goldfish and are looking for an excuse to base your whole diet off these two foods?  Then you're ready for kids.

9) Have you had just too many quiet dinners in nice restaurants?  Then you're ready for kids.

10) Are you ready to love unconditionally?  Then you're ready for kids. Because they're crazy, frustrating, confusing little beings, but they're the best thing that will ever happen to you, and you'll love every minute of it.