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Getting older has opened my eyes to the benefits of having kids young. For one thing, I had more energy and was more resilient to loss of sleep when I was young

Getting older has opened my eyes to the benefits of having kids young. For one thing, I had more energy and was more resilient to loss of sleep when I was younger. That would've been nice to pair with kids. My mother had me at 30. My wife's mother had her in her late teens. There's a big difference in energy there too. My wife's mother has more time, and energy, with our kids. I have friends who had kids in college and a friend who had kids in high school. It seemed like a mistake back then - they could never come hang out and had to leave early cause they were dealing with kids or a wife or whatever. I'm not so sure they made a mistake now. I would guess that late twenties are the ideal time to have kids. Early twenties you wrap up your education and start your career, thirties and forties get the kids out the door, fifties settle your retirement, sixties and on enjoy your extended family and retirement. That's how I'd plan it if I were going again.

randomdata 5y ago
> I would guess that late twenties are the ideal time to have kids. In hindsight, I'm thinking teenage years. For all practical purposes your days are wasted anyway, so you may as well waste it enjoying your kids. They'll be much more independent by the time you're deemed old enough to begin participating in society. You are also more likely to have a larger community of people in the household at that age to help raise the children.
- ALittleLight 5y ago
  I think it wouldn't be terrible to have kids as a teen - provided you have a supportive family and partner. Of course, I've never tried it for myself, but that's my general sense. If my children have kids young I won't be distraught and will provide as much help as possible - expecting it to be quite a lot for the first 5-10 years.
  - randomdata 5y ago
    I imagine that dealing with the feelings of failing society, which has taught us that having children is the worst thing you can do in your life, would be the hardest part. It was still hard to deal with that sentiment when I had my children in my late 30s, even though by that time I had enough life experience to realize that it silly to worry about what other people think. The mind is an interesting thing.
    - Handytinge 5y ago
      > which has taught us that having children is the worst thing you can do in your life I think you're from a different society than me! Most of the world doesn't think this way.

randomdata 5y ago

> I would guess that late twenties are the ideal time to have kids. In hindsight, I'm thinking teenage years. For all practical purposes your days are wasted anyway, so you may as well waste it enjoying your kids. They'll be much more independent by the time you're deemed old enough to begin participating in society. You are also more likely to have a larger community of people in the household at that age to help raise the children.

ALittleLight 5y ago
I think it wouldn't be terrible to have kids as a teen - provided you have a supportive family and partner. Of course, I've never tried it for myself, but that's my general sense. If my children have kids young I won't be distraught and will provide as much help as possible - expecting it to be quite a lot for the first 5-10 years.
- randomdata 5y ago
  I imagine that dealing with the feelings of failing society, which has taught us that having children is the worst thing you can do in your life, would be the hardest part. It was still hard to deal with that sentiment when I had my children in my late 30s, even though by that time I had enough life experience to realize that it silly to worry about what other people think. The mind is an interesting thing.
  - Handytinge 5y ago
    > which has taught us that having children is the worst thing you can do in your life I think you're from a different society than me! Most of the world doesn't think this way.