Problem
Option: The Choice to Have a Child - A Preview of the Pros and Cons of Parenting
"You saw earlier that there are benefits and costs in having children. The same is true in raising them: "Parenting varies, being enormously satisfying and seemingly easy at times as well as confounding, difficult, and burdensome at other times" (Arendell, 1997: 22). Many parents are happier when taking care of their children than during 15 other common daily activities such as watching TV, cooking, working, and socializing with friends (Nelson et al., 2013). Parenting, however, does not come naturally. It's neither instinctive nor innate. Especially with a first child, most of us muddle through by trial and error. Advice on the physical care of a baby can be valuable, but there's no template that ensures a parent's smooth passage to parenthood. Transitions, like having a child, involve stress and strain, in addition to joy and excitement." (Benokraitis & Buehhler, 2018)
Benokraitis, N. V., & Buehler, C. (2018). Marriages and Families (9th ed.). Pearson Education (US).
Task
Based on your experience and research, how would you explain the joys and tribulations of having a child with a couple who is thinking about having a child or even a second child? Provide a balanced description of what new parents can expect with the birth of a child or second child and the expanded role of parenting. Provide trend data on what many parents experience (not just what happens in your household.)