The decision to become a father can be affected by our threshold for accepting risk. Some of us are risk aversive. We don’t like to take chances. There are different kinds of risk. Some risks are physical and others are psychological. The expense of raising a child, the challenges to the relationship with our partners, the commitment of time, and lifestyle changes are psychological risks. We are entering the uncharted territory of uncertainty.
But making a decision based only on a consideration of risk leaves out the moderating factor of benefit. Making decisions that involve risk should be combined with the potential for rewards. Is the potential benefit worth the risk? Would you risk your life to save a child in danger? How much risk? If you jumped in deep water to save a drowning child and did not know how to swim, the risk of death far exceeds the probability of success. But no matter how a good a swimmer you are, there is still a risk to yourself.
Throughout this course I have illuminated both the risks and the benefits of becoming a dad. Only you can decide on the value of those potential benefits and the costs of the potential risks. Are the rewards worth the possible costs? You cannot predict the future. Becoming a father is always going to be a leap into the unknown.
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Journal 8 My risk tolerance
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Journal 4 Earning respect