Quote Originally Posted by Karen
Sadly, that doesn't happen with everyone. So people - other people - need to just educate, educate, educate!
Well said. "Motherhood" does not come naturally to everyone. You would be amazed how many young women are completely overwhelmed having a baby around 24-7. The sleep depravation that comes with a newborn, changing hormones, post-partum depression, pre-existing conditions, stress, and lack of experience can put a person into a very different stage of mind, when something that is utterly irrational can seem like the thing to do in the moment. As for dads, well, they don't all have the patience of Job. Very few have any experience with babies, and, at least in my generation, many of them were handled pretty roughly by their own dads. It would be wonderful is parenting classes were be a requirement for anyone raising children.

*edit - times have changed, and a lot of young moms don't have their moms or family living nearby who can help with young babies. The family support system isn't there anymore for many young families.