Are you SURE you want to have kids?

* Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems: first buy an octopus and a bag made out of loose mesh. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out.

* Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street, Barney, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

* Can you stand the mess children make? To find out, first smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains. Stick your fingers in the flower beds, then rub them on the clean walls. Cover the stains with crayons. How does that look?

It's not just a matter of reading books and decorating the nursery. Here are 12 simple tests for expectant parents to take to prepare themselves for the real-life experience of being a mother or father.

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