Right now, in my mind, I say no. I'm 21 years old, and at this point in my life one of the things that I want is to start my own family in the future. With my OWN kids. Not raising someone else's knowing that I'm not the father and wasn't there from the beginning.

However in the future, I might end up changing. I might find someone with a child that I adore and wouldn't mind raising. Or I might not find a suitable longterm partner until later on in life when the child is older. When the child is older and more independant, it seems it would be easier since you can talk to them more on a mature level and they would be able to understand/cope with a change in the family situation much easier than a young child. Then again, there are those children who are SO young that they won't ever remember.

I guess I would have to say that yes, it'd be somewhat of a turnoff, and isn't want I'm looking for, but I believe there are exceptions to EVERY rule. However you give me two great girls to choose from, and one has a kid, I'm going to the one without.

Alexi