It turns out that I am not the only one debating this as a late-twenties Londoner. Across the pond, Jack Worthy, licensed psychotherapist and faculty with Gestalt Associates in New York says that among his clients, identity questions loom large over whether to have a child. “Have you always seen yourself as a mother? What does it mean for you to be a woman and not become a mother? Am I forever limiting my career if I choose to have a child? What doors would I be forever closing or opening?” These are some of the questions his clients ask. “Even with the most supportive partner and with the most flexible career, the time, money, and energy for parenting will need to come from somewhere. Parenting requires sacrifice and trade-offs,” he says. So when you ask, “Do I want to become a parent,” you’re asking, too, “From which part of my life will I take this time, money, and energy? From work? Leisure? Friends? Travel?”
