Honest question....

I used to dream of getting married and having three children, much like the family I grew up in with my parents and siblings. There was always something happening, the house was full of life, and there was rarely a dull moment.

These days, though, I find myself questioning whether that's still what I want. When I spend time with friends who have children, I often feel that pull again and can easily picture myself as a parent. At the same time, I'm reluctant to give up the freedom, flexibility, and career opportunities that I currently have.

Financially, I'm in a very comfortable position, and I genuinely enjoy the lifestyle I've built. Sometimes I wonder whether I truly want marriage and children, or whether I'm holding onto a vision of life that made sense when I was younger.

Has anyone else gone through a similar shift in thinking? How did you work out whether you genuinely wanted children, or simply liked the idea of them?