[Cirrus]

Hi Everyone,
Hoping you're willing to share some reflections to shape my new years resolutions for what might be the last year before we start a family.
When you look back at the few years before you started a family, maybe you're glad now that you took the time to travel or save money or just party, instead of doing other things. With the perspective you have now, what are you glad about having done in those child-free years (or wish you had done!) and why?
Happy NY!

[lsolaBella]

Travel, go to the movies.
Save Money.

[wizzbef]

Pay off debt

[Lucretia Borgia]

Travelled with my DH....America, England, France, Italy, Ireland, Skiing in Switzerland, Tahiti.....we could eat out, visit museums, galleries, walk around and take in the sights without having to worry about whether the kids are getting bored/tired/hungry/whingey for no reason....we travel now with kids, but we tend to go to beaches, resort with pools and amusement parks, so a different vibe all together ...

I'm glad I got my law degree pre kids and worked for ten years or so so I could establish my career....I can't study with young children and getting my foot in the door meant I could negotiate good maternity leave arrangements and good return to work arrangements

I'm glad we bought our house pre kids.

This post has been edited by Lucretia Borgia: 02/01/2013, 02:54 PM

[SplashingRainbow...]

Complete all my professional qualifications
Purchase our home
Build up our savings


Whilst I am glad I have done some travel I feel more secure with day to day housing and savings. If all goes to plan we will travel with children when they are older, and after they leave home. We are holidaying at the moment and there are so many wonderful things we have at home that I miss. I am so grateful for the things we do have to make our lives at home easier.

[IVL]

Travel and work/study hard. Also pay as much of our house as possible. I would hate to be juggling new parent hood with study comittments or financial stress. We are thankfully in position where we have been able to negotiate fleixable and favourable working conditions because of our ealrier loyality and aquired knowledge in our professions.

[epg]

I should absolutely NOT be reading a thread like this when due in 5 weeks!
I'm glad I
- held out long enough to meet the right partner!
- found an interesting and financially rewarding career - and proved that I am more than capable of supporting myself financially (makes me a little more comfortable about choosing to be a SAHM for at least the next 6 months)
- did the crazy youth stuff - all night raves, backpacking with little to no money, drinking far too much - I've done it and I'm over it and won't regret not being able to do it again.
- was in really good shape physically before getting pregnant - means I trust my body to be able to get rid of the baby weight and get back to something approaching normal again.
- developed good relationships with family and friends because I know I'll need their support in the coming years.

[noi'mnot]

Running away on holidays, overseas and local, at the drop of a hat (doing anything at the drop of a hat, really...).

Finishing the gazillion years of uni study that I did (can you tell from my grammar how qualified I am?).

Spending lots of lovely time with my partner - lazy days in bed, evenings walking on the beach, weekends away, snuggling on the couch, etc.

We bought a house before having kids but that's not such a big issue for me. The others are much more important.

[elle-M]

Definitely glad my DH and I owned our own home (with a mortgage of course) before we had kids. We stretched ourselves financially to sell our two and upgrade to a bigger house and if we hadn't done it then, we could never have done it. We find ways to make it work on only one income, and it's really important to me that I teach our children financial responsiblity and independence.

Also I'm glad my DH and I had a good education and went to uni, however you can still study with kids (we're both doing our Masters at the moment so it's possible... but challenging!).

The rest pales in comparison to how wonderful it is to have children Good luck, it's such an exciting time you have ahead!

This post has been edited by elle-M: 02/01/2013, 02:57 PM

[Banana Pancakes]

I fell pregnant at 22 (a very big surprise!) so I didnt really have much time to do heaps before falling pregnant. But I am grateful that I owned a car outright, had some qualifications, a steady job and I had no debt.

This post has been edited by Banana Pancakes: 02/01/2013, 03:01 PM