They’re super impatient
Most people get antsy if they’re stuck behind the same van in traffic for twenty minutes, or are going to be late for an important job interview if the bus takes any longer to show up. With that said, if your partner lacks the patience to deal with everyday annoyances like supermarket checkouts, public transport and slow walkers, then they definitely don’t have the patience for a baby.
They never admit they’re wrong
Being able to swallow your pride and admit when you’ve made a mistake might seem like a trait that’s completely unrelated to how good of a parent you’ll be, but it’s actually a pretty good indicator. Raising a child involves a steep learning curve, and it’s necessary for the kid’s safety to be able to leave stubbornness at the door, so make sure your partner can.
You have to nag them to do chores
This one should be common sense; having and bringing up a baby involves a lot of additional chores, so if your partner isn’t even willing to handle the ones you already have, then they’re definitely not ready for parenthood. This applies just as strongly if they do eventually do the tasks in question, but only with constant oversight and pushing from you.
Their friends never ask them to babysit
Obviously, not everyone has friends with children, and not every parent is going to be willing to let someone else look after their kid. With that said, if your partner is the only one in their group of friends to have not looked after their pal’s child for an afternoon on, and they don’t have a job or schedule that prevents it, it’s worth asking why.
They’re terrible with animals
It should be clear to everyone that animals and babies are not the same thing. However, being awful with animals is a pretty good indication that someone could also be bad with kids. After all, animals can be messy, need constant attention, have an overwhelming amount of energy and require complicated routines to care for, making the way your partner deals with them pretty illuminating.
They hate compromise
Relationships of any kind are all about compromise, so if your partner struggles with that, you’re already on shaky ground. A resistance to compromise will become an even bigger problem if you have kids though, as bringing up children requires a huge amount of sacrifice from both parties. Will they hold the baby while you nap? Do half the midnight feedings? Skip the gym sometimes?
They’re unwilling to learn new skills
It’s actually not necessarily a red flag if your partner doesn’t know certain life skills that might come easily to others. After all, they might not have had anyone to teach them or the time to learn. With that said, if your other half is staunchly against improving themself and learning to do new things, you’re going to end up doing most of the work when the baby comes along.
They can’t stand a messy house
Nobody likes their home to look like it’s been visited by the garbage fairy, but there’s a difference between preferring things tidy and having impossibly high standards for neatness. Having a baby means inviting 18 years’ worth of someone else’s belongings into your home, and infants specifically come with clutter, mess and the occasional vomit on the carpet. Your partner needs to be prepared for that.
You can’t leave them alone ever
Maybe the biggest sign that your partner is either not ready to be a parent or just wouldn’t be good at it, is if you can’t trust them to keep up with their responsibilities and obligations if you’re not there. If you leave for a weekend away and return to find your other half still on the couch, surrounded by plates and food wrappers, that’s a red flag.
They storm off during arguments
Arguments are an unpleasant but inevitable part of any relationship, and that’s unlikely to change just because you’ve brought an infant into the equation. With that said, while conflicts aren’t necessarily a red flag by themselves, it’s a bad sign if your partner responds to fights by vanishing for hours at a time. When a baby is involved, that impulse goes from mean to downright irresponsible.
