UKC

Everyone always says you're never ready for it, but do any of you wish you'd waited longer, or even had a baby earlier than you actually did?

In reply to Cú Chullain: First one at 38, second at 40. Spot on - we'd had lots of fun BK (Before Kids) and now they're older we have fun with and without them.

In reply to Cú Chullain:

41, perfect timing as could leave the forces with a pension and spend the next however many years having children and being at home with them. Any earlier and I would have still had a career and would have felt guilty sending them off to nursery or leaving them with someone else.

Ps, wife was 32

In reply to Cú Chullain: 28 - 7 months ago!

In reply to Cú Chullain:

I was 23

In reply to Cú Chullain: 49. Last year and it wasn't planned. Think it would have been better if it happened 15-20 years ago but thats life.

In reply to Cú Chullain: 27, 29 and 42 (oops)

Having them late: have fun first but risk more medical complications

Having them early: Still young when they've grown up and (hopefully) more money to have fun with, still young enough to enjoy teaching the grandchildren to climb, canoe, sail (boy, do they adore you)

In reply to Cú Chullain: 35, eight years ago. In some ways it might have been nice to have kids earlier but from financial stability and ability to afford kids pov 35 seems to have been a reasonable age to have them.

In reply to Cú Chullain:

18 (Whoops!) Everyone but us thought it was a disaster but we just got married and got on with it. Whatever happens to you at that age just seems normnal because you know nothing else. Looking at friends who had their kids in their 40s I don't know how they cope. They seem permanently knackered whereas we were young and full of beans. Plus it meant the kids were gone while we were still in our early 40s.

I don't think I'll make until my 33rd birthday this may without one.

In reply to Cú Chullain:

25. About right for me I reckon, she arrived at a good time and probably saved me from going properly off the rails. Nowt like sprogs to bring things into sharp relief!

So 25, which incidentally is about half the age of Ring Ouzel :-D

In reply to Cú Chullain:

I was 19. It seemed very early at the time. Had to 'grow up' very quickly, but ironically, I think I never actually 'grew up' as far as my contemporaries.

In reply to Cú Chullain: I was 25, wife was 21. we decided that we want to be able to enjoy our children growing up whilst we have the energy and vigor. I get to enjoy them for longer is the way I see it. When the lads grow up and independant, I'll only actually be mid 40's.

My family unit grows with me. I think I'll go home and see them now!

In reply to Cú Chullain: 31 - think it was about right. If anything maybe a couple of years earlier, especially if you plan to have another. It's all swings and roundabouts though.

In reply to Cú Chullain:

31 and 34

In reply to Cú Chullain:

44, though if my 5 year old carries on much more the way she has today she'll be on Ebay and I'll be back to square one.

In reply to Cú Chullain:

34 and was knackered and had a headache for the first couple of years due to lack of sleep and stuff.

cheers
Gaz

In reply to Cú Chullain:I was 15 when my son was born, the missus was a few years older, we split soon after for about 5 years and then got back together for the next 25.
despite all the odds it lasted well and we only split about two years ago when she turned into a mental case, got 3 kids and 4 grandkids now and im only 47.
a lot of responsibilty and sacrafices when we were young but now i get to enjoy the grandkids while im still young and fit enough to enjoy it.

In reply to Cú Chullain:
33, well all going well I will be, my first one is due in May

In reply to Cú Chullain:

Have never knowingly sprogged. Always assumed that I would. Probably a bit too past it now. "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans", as Lennon said.

In reply to Cú Chullain:

I'm a PARENT?!?

In reply to Trangia:

Me too, but then, we met at School 7 years before , married at 21' so not a whirlwind romance .

In reply to Cú Chullain:

We were ready, and we were only 25.

It means that I have the time to have a grown up relationship with my lad. He's 22 and I'm 47 and I love our time now he's grown up.

In reply to Cú Chullain:

32, as was my wife, after 11 years off marriage. Although we now still feel young enough to do lots now they are off our hands, I think ideally i would have them a few years earlier, maybe 26/7.

In reply to Cú Chullain:

I was 25, K was 27. we had both done a fair amount of traveling and different life experiences between us and it felt right although money was tight but we managed, he's nearly 23 now and he mentioned the other month how weird it feels being nearly my age when we had him.

In reply to Cú Chullain: 23 when I became a stepdad of sorts, 25 a real one ... and then 41 when I became a real one again.

I'be been a parent all my friggin' life! And I wouldn't change a thing.

In reply to Cú Chullain:

First was when I was 28 followed by another when I was 30 with someone else then twins when I was 37 with someone else again.

In reply to Cú Chullain: 36 years old

In reply to Cú Chullain:

old enough. any younger and i would have been too poor, too transient and too risk adverse.

In reply to Cú Chullain:

We had our 1st when i was 25 and sal was 21 we had number 2 came when i was 27 number 3 at34, then a little rest, at 41 we had are number 4 number 5 came when i was 44 and just before 50 we have number 6th . Not at granddad as yet ! love them all

Paul

In reply to Cú Chullain:

First at 24 and second at 34 yrs old, different father. I think it would have been better to wait until say late 20s and in the right circumstances...but my life has ever been traditional.