This is a very interesting topic to discuss @RueTheRavenPrincess !
Usually, the be all end all of our existence is to re-populate and to continue generations and the nuclear family onwards, as that was the product of success.
I don't believe this to be something that is as important to people anymore, due to the reduction in social services and financial positioning, and also men and women's general goals of life. People are making smarter decisions in their own lives, in if they can actually bring up children, then just do it for the sake of it because they feel they have to and put more stress on themselves, the child and the welfare system. The fertility rates and birth rate is declining due to these choices, I'm not saying that it is a bad thing by the way that's just how change happens.
I think it's perfectly mature, for those who may have particular mental health conditions, who admit honestly that due to their unstable emotions, it's probably not a good idea to put them in a situation to bring up children.
Of course to any individual, it is a lifelong task, as it is very very physically, emotionally, mentally draining, due to bringing up the small person right up to an adult.
But the one thing I wanna touch on is that sometimes people say they don't want to be a parent due to the mistakes and trauma that they faced from their parents, and of course you have a right to think like that. But I think sometimes you are not your parents, you are not your culture, you are not your bloodline, you are you. You're not going to make the same mistakes as your parents due to the experience of it, sometimes you can get so obsessed with that, that you may end up being like them, but that's because you're focused too much on not being like someone, rather than focusing on the child and you just naturally being the person that you are today. Regardless as a mother, as a father, you never gonna get it right, you'll learning to do this, just like the child is learning to be a human, you'll never be "perfect".
We are all damaged in our own way from our own families, but we are just broken birds that need a little bit of nurturing that need a little bit of time to figure out how to rebuild ourselves so we can finally cup that bird in our hands and let it fly away, so it can go and continue to live.
But we can't be broken birds forever. We can't base what we think we're going to be as parents based upon what our parents are like, you learn from their mistakes, you observe their mistakes, and make sure that you are a better parent than they were, and become a better version of yourself.
You don't need to prove being a better parent than them by showing them, it will be shown by how happy your child is and what the child thinks of you, and if they can say that you are there for that child when they are in emotional distress, and if the development of the child is successful from a mental point of you, and you don't rub off the shit that was put on you, onto your child.
Break the cycle.
