Interesting points. I have six children. The oldest is going on 29 the youngest is 17. I have a daughter who is 27 today and a parent.

When is anybody really ready to be a parent? :) But I am currently reading a book "The Way We Never Were". It is a look at this thing we think of as the "traditional" family that really never was. This same author also wrote a book on the history of marriage. Both are very interesting books.

I think being prepared to be a parent is more about overall maturity, including emotional maturity and adaptibility then knowing how to change a diaper.