What's the best age to be an empty nester?

[Anonymous]

I think the better question is would you rather be kid free from 25-35 or 45-55

In isolation of course only being 48 when you’re kid free sounds better than 60. But unless you have very spread out kids, it of course comes with a trade off of your younger years!

[Anonymous]

We will be 54 and 58 when our third (and last!) child goes to college. Very excited to have that time to travel more together and experience life without kids at home (as great as they are) after 23 years of having children at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the better question is would you rather be kid free from 25-35 or 45-55

In isolation of course only being 48 when you’re kid free sounds better than 60. But unless you have very spread out kids, it of course comes with a trade off of your younger years!

I had my first kid when I was 31 and my husband was 35. We were both very excited to be parents. I don’t have many Peter Pan friends who needed to endlessly live out bottomless brunches/bad dates/sad girls trips.

[Anonymous]

My H was an empty nester at 40. He loved it - he was still young and athletic enough, yet financially secure enough to hike, travel, pursue meaningful hobbies.

Then I came along and he started all over again with a baby at 43. Oops.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the better question is would you rather be kid free from 25-35 or 45-55

In isolation of course only being 48 when you’re kid free sounds better than 60. But unless you have very spread out kids, it of course comes with a trade off of your younger years!

I had my first kid when I was 31 and my husband was 35. We were both very excited to be parents. I don’t have many Peter Pan friends who needed to endlessly live out bottomless brunches/bad dates/sad girls trips.

Hi Brunch granny!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My H was an empty nester at 40. He loved it - he was still young and athletic enough, yet financially secure enough to hike, travel, pursue meaningful hobbies.

Then I came along and he started all over again with a baby at 43. Oops.

At your big ages you all know how birth control works so no Oops!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh look another thread shaming people for not being married and having kids by 25.

I give you folks credit you don't quit.

Old mom here. Nobody is shaming anyone. Just stop.

It is. This is straight out of the family values playbook. This is not a genuine post.

If it's supposed to shame me, it's not working. My honest to god reaction was geez I had zero clue who I was at 22 and was not ready to be a wife or a mom. But hats off to OP, everyone is on their own path.


I fully agree!
The ideal age to have children is any time you can have them with the right person (for you). The biggest decision any of us make isn't when to have children, it's who do we have them with.

[Anonymous]

I’m 50 and have a 10 year old so good for you? I did. It have kids young, but I’m still with their father. I have friends who have freshman in college. Seems like a good age to have any empty nest. No one is retiring just yet. Maybe a few more years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the better question is would you rather be kid free from 25-35 or 45-55

In isolation of course only being 48 when you’re kid free sounds better than 60. But unless you have very spread out kids, it of course comes with a trade off of your younger years!

I had my first kid when I was 31 and my husband was 35. We were both very excited to be parents. I don’t have many Peter Pan friends who needed to endlessly live out bottomless brunches/bad dates/sad girls trips.

Hi Brunch granny!

Jesus I had forgotten all about Brunch Granny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The best age to be an empty nester is when all of your friends are starting to be empty nesters.

We are the first in our group and it's been really difficult to navigate. We only have one kid which might be a factor.

I feel you! I'm a DINK and have been waiting one at a time for people to have more time. I have made close friends with people up to 25 years older and 15 years younger than me while I wait!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the better question is would you rather be kid free from 25-35 or 45-55

In isolation of course only being 48 when you’re kid free sounds better than 60. But unless you have very spread out kids, it of course comes with a trade off of your younger years!

I had my first kid when I was 31 and my husband was 35. We were both very excited to be parents. I don’t have many Peter Pan friends who needed to endlessly live out bottomless brunches/bad dates/sad girls trips.

Hi Brunch granny!

I think you missed the point. We were both well adjusted enough in our 30s to not want to be Peter Pans. In our 50s we also have no desire to be Peter Pans. I’m going to be 61 when my oldest is 30 (the age that I got married) and 62 when she turns 31 (the age that I had her). I have no idea what life holds for us but if my kids end up having children in their early 30s like me I’m so exited about getting to be an active and involved grandparent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the better question is would you rather be kid free from 25-35 or 45-55

In isolation of course only being 48 when you’re kid free sounds better than 60. But unless you have very spread out kids, it of course comes with a trade off of your younger years!

I had my first kid when I was 31 and my husband was 35. We were both very excited to be parents. I don’t have many Peter Pan friends who needed to endlessly live out bottomless brunches/bad dates/sad girls trips.

Hi Brunch granny!

I think you missed the point. We were both well adjusted enough in our 30s to not want to be Peter Pans. In our 50s we also have no desire to be Peter Pans. I’m going to be 61 when my oldest is 30 (the age that I got married) and 62 when she turns 31 (the age that I had her). I have no idea what life holds for us but if my kids end up having children in their early 30s like me I’m so exited about getting to be an active and involved grandparent.

+1. DH and I are similar ages. I’m excited I missed going through menopause when my kids were in middle school.

[Anonymous]

I loved my 20s! Now 60 and kids boomerang for brief periods now and then but we love it when they are home - totally enjoy them as adults.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the better question is would you rather be kid free from 25-35 or 45-55

In isolation of course only being 48 when you’re kid free sounds better than 60. But unless you have very spread out kids, it of course comes with a trade off of your younger years!

I had my first kid when I was 31 and my husband was 35. We were both very excited to be parents. I don’t have many Peter Pan friends who needed to endlessly live out bottomless brunches/bad dates/sad girls trips.

Hi Brunch granny!

I think you missed the point. We were both well adjusted enough in our 30s to not want to be Peter Pans. In our 50s we also have no desire to be Peter Pans. I’m going to be 61 when my oldest is 30 (the age that I got married) and 62 when she turns 31 (the age that I had her). I have no idea what life holds for us but if my kids end up having children in their early 30s like me I’m so exited about getting to be an active and involved grandparent.

Hopefully no sad girls trips in your future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the better question is would you rather be kid free from 25-35 or 45-55

In isolation of course only being 48 when you’re kid free sounds better than 60. But unless you have very spread out kids, it of course comes with a trade off of your younger years!

I had my first kid when I was 31 and my husband was 35. We were both very excited to be parents. I don’t have many Peter Pan friends who needed to endlessly live out bottomless brunches/bad dates/sad girls trips.

Hi Brunch granny!

I think you missed the point. We were both well adjusted enough in our 30s to not want to be Peter Pans. In our 50s we also have no desire to be Peter Pans. I’m going to be 61 when my oldest is 30 (the age that I got married) and 62 when she turns 31 (the age that I had her). I have no idea what life holds for us but if my kids end up having children in their early 30s like me I’m so exited about getting to be an active and involved grandparent.

If you were really that well adjusted you’d have been ready to have a kid at 25