ParenthoodREADY
Deciding If Parenthood Is Right for You
ParenthoodREADY is for couples who feel unsure, conflicted, or stuck when deciding whether to become parents. Rather than pushing you toward a particular choice, this course helps you clarify what parenthood would mean for you and your relationship. You will explore common hopes, worries, and questions about having children, including emotional, financial, relational, physical, and values‑based considerations, using research‑informed insights, real‑life stories, and guided reflections. By the end, you will be better equipped to understand your motivations, consider possible paths forward, and make an intentional decision together, whether that includes having children or choosing a child‑free life.
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Course Objectives
By completing this course, participants will be able to:
- Identify common reasons couples feel uncertain or conflicted about becoming parents and reflect on their own motivations and concerns.
- Understand how parenthood may affect emotional well‑being, couple relationships, finances, careers, and daily life.
- Explore the physical realities of pregnancy, birth, fertility, and early parenting, along with alternative paths to family building.
- Examine how values, culture, beliefs, and concerns about the future influence decisions about having children.
- Develop a shared, intentional plan for moving forward with greater clarity, confidence, and alignment as a couple.
Table of Contents
- Why This Decision Can Feel Complicated
- Financial Considerations
- Relationship Changes
- Emotional and Mental Readiness
- Physical Health and Fertility
- Navigating Partner Differences
- Decisions in a Changing World
- Intentional Steps Forward
Format & Features
- Self‑paced online learning
- Video lessons, activities, and reflection exercises
- Digital certificate upon completion
- Approximate duration: 3-4 hours
About the Author
This course was developed by Utah State University Extension in partnership with the Utah Marriage Commission. Content development was led by Tiffany Clyde.
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If you have ever wondered whether becoming parents is the right next step for you as a couple, ParenthoodREADY can help you gain clarity, talk honestly, and make an intentional decision. Through research-informed insights, real-life stories, and guided reflections, you will gain the understanding and tools you need to move forward together with confidence.
Special Benefits for Utah Residents
If you're a Utah resident, you can take the course for free.
Here’s how it works:
- Click here for a short survey to verify you live in Utah
- Receive an email containing a discount code for the full ParenthoodREADY cost
- Enroll in the course
- Complete the course to receive a certificate
That’s a big step towards successful being ready for a Parenthood.