You Don’t Know Yourself At 22 – Chimamanda Adichie

Chimamanda Adichie has revealed that she didn’t think she would be a good mother to her child.

The author made this known while granting an interview with David Marchese of the Vulture. According to her, she didn’t think she would be a good mother because of her dedication to her art.

“Yes. I used to think I wouldn’t be a good mother because I was so dedicated to my art. I said to myself, I have nephews and nieces who I adore, and I helped raise them, so those will be my children. That’s what I thought for a long time because I felt that I couldn’t be true to both my art and my child,” she said.
She then went on to explain how getting older changed her views and perception which led to her having a child and being a great mum.

“Getting older. I like to joke and say that you’re ready [to have a child] when your body isn’t ready, and when your body is ready, you’re not mentally ready. I guess you have the best eggs when you’re, like, 22, but at 22 you don’t even know yourself. Then when you’re 38 and know yourself, your eggs are not the best quality.

“Anyway, we’ll talk about eggs another time. But my baby happened, and it’s important to talk honestly about this because having her changed a lot. Having a child gets in the way of writing. It does. You can’t own your time the way you used to. But the other thing that motherhood does — and I kind of feel sorry for men that they can’t have this — is open up a new emotional plane that can feed your art,” she said.

Chimamanda Adichie who has always had a way with words and said a lot of things that have shaken a lot of tables.