FollowPros and Cons of Being an Older Parent
Most women who choose to wait until they are older to have children, do so for a wide range of reasons. Some women want to have established careers first or they want to ensure they are financially stable before having a child. Whatever the reason is, there are pros and cons to waiting. Here are some of the pros and cons of being an older parent.
Pros:
- Older parents are usually more financially secure than when they were younger. They more than likely have good jobs or have had the same job for several years.
- Older parents are normally more educated than they were at a younger age. They have usually completed not only high school but college and beyond as well.
- Older parents tend to have more stable marriages than younger parents. This is usually due to the fact that they have been together a greater amount of time or they are at the age that they know what they want in a lifetime partner. Having a stable marriage will mean greater stability for their kids.
- Those that have waited to have children are often more mature emotionally and are able to handle the stress of everyday life a little better.
Cons:
- Mothers who have children while in their middle ages, may risk their baby being born with some type of disability. Women who wait to have children in their late 30’s, early 40’s are more prone to give birth to a child with Down’s Syndrome. The risk of having a miscarriage is also higher.
- High blood pressure, preterm delivery, stillbirth, gestational diabetes and other similar complications are more prevalent in women who give birth when they are forty years of age or older.
No matter what age you are when you have children, the most important thing to remember is to nurture and love your child(ren) unconditionally. Learn from your parent’s mistakes and do not repeat negative history. Teach them the skills that will help them to form caring, bonding relationships with others outside of the family unit. This way they will have coping skills that will help them to face challenges that may surface throughout their lifetime.
I almost wish I had started having kids earlier! The older I get, the less ability I have to lose sleep, which was the crucial skill to have when a newborn came along. Still, I can see some of the advantages of being older- more stability, more money, more maturity. An interesting read!
Their are pros and cons to every decision in life and you just have to make sure that the decision is one that works for you. More and more, we are seeing women have children at older ages. I had my first child at 26 and I feel like I was old enough to understand what was in front of me although it was still an experience with many ups and downs. Thanks for sharing this article!
Funny I was just thinking about this last night. More and more couples now prefer to marry at an older age since they prioritize career first and get financial stability before planning to start a family. The problem is that most have difficulties in bearing a child and more often the generation gap gets in the way.
I’ve been thinking about this topic as well. I’ve seen many older parents and I really can see the pros and cons you’ve mentioned. Personally, I believe that there should also be a balance. The right timing is crucial.
Having a child at any age is very scary whether it be because of financial or health related reasons. I think the best thing to do is have a child when you are read and pray to GOD for the rest!
My mom had me at an older age and it was cool but it was kind of boring because everyone her age had older kids so I was alone often and I picked up on a lot of older folk jargon. Now it’s the opposite all of kids my son age have older mothers and I am the young one. Any age is scary though I would say have kids when you are ready
I will never be an older parents as I had my son three weeks before I turned 23 but you know what, I wouldn’t change it for the world. He’s my best friend and having him at a young age means that I get to spend many more years with him than I would have done if I had had him when I was older. I can see the appeal of being an older parent though and agree with all the pros you listed above.
I had both my boys at a young age but sister had her youngest when she was in her mid-30’s, definitely a very different experience than mine! I couldn’t imagine doing it at a later age, it’s nice having so much of my adult life with a free house! 🙂
Very insightful post! It definitely has its good and bad sides. Personally, I’d like to be a younger parent more. I was born late and I had a huge age gap not only with my brother but from most of my cousins. Still, it was a great childhood of course!
I was an “older” parent I guess, i was 34. There really was NO WAY I was ready to be anybody’s mama when I was in my 20s! I needed to have too much fun! But the con of that is, I have only one, when originally I wanted at least two. But everything works out the way it’s supposed to!
I agree there are pros and cons for each. I waited a long time before I had my babies, and although I do believe it was the best decision for me I can’t help but regret not having them sooner. Its harder to keep up with them now.