While it should not be the ONLY reason to have children, I think your sentiments are normal and healthy. Human affection can grow, even if from less than noble

While it should not be the ONLY reason to have children, I think your sentiments are normal and healthy. Human affection can grow, even if from less than noble beginnings. It's easy for men to keep putting it off. As someone who was not opposed to having kids but could have easily been in your shoes because life before kids is just much more comfortable and familiar, I fully relate. My wife gave me the extra push I needed to make the leap. I will not sugar-coat it: having kids is difficult, and the worst part is the disruption to your sleep and mental exhaustion from being "on alert" to protect the new fragile being. All your life plans have to account for this new dependent. If you are a social butterfly/partier (I am not) or liked to spend a lot of unbroken time in side projects (that was me), it will hit harder. I am just about at the 1 year mark though, and I can also say that I do not regret it. Yes, there are things I miss, but it was definitely the right decision. As time went on, I adapted and started doing things again, and I would expect to regain more time as my child ages. Picking the right wife is really the decision you have to worry about, IMHO.