On today’s episode @RickHanson and I focus on one of the most important decisions we’ll make in life: the choice to become a parent. We focus on what good parenting looks like in practice, the key difference in thinking of a child as a “means” or an “end,” and how to know whether becoming a parent is the right path for you.

Key Topics:
0:00 Introduction
2:10 The significance of the choice to become a parent
4:40 Being aware of your motivations for having a child
17:05 The influence of our primal biology
21:10 Qualities of a good parent
30:05 Mirroring, idealizing, twinship, and the process of differentiation
36:15 Optimal frustration, and a healthy parental work ethic
41:10 The rewards of being a parent
46:45 If you don’t like __ you shouldn’t become a parent
48:50 A word to current parents wishing some things had been different
53:05 Community, partnership, and financial resources
55:20 Assessing what will bring your life meaning with or without a child
1:01:15 Recap

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Who Am I: I'm Forrest, the co-author of Resilient (https://amzn.to/3iXLerD) and host of the Being Well Podcast (https://apple.co/38ufGG0). I'm making videos focused on simplifying psychology, mental health, and personal growth.

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🌍 https://www.forresthanson.com
📸   / f.hanson