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

[Anonymous]

Never!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Girl's trips are only sad when you're under 30. After 50, girls trips are a fun, exciting part of being empty nesters.

[Anonymous]

I only had one kid and will be an empty nester at 56.

I think with one kid this is great because we'll have the money and flexibility to start traveling more extensively with our kid when she's a teen and we'll be ready to start transitioning to full retirement while she is in college (which I think is good timing financially). This gives us some years to travel together just us and enjoy retirement before she starts a family (if she does) which I think will coincide with is being ready to settle down closer to her and help with grandkids.

I think I'd feel down differently about all this if we had more kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the ideal age to be an empty nester, and what age will you be one?

My children will be 18/20 when I am 42. I already have an empty home while they are at their father's home, I have fun with friends while they are gone. 42 seems a bit young to have grown children, but I'm also hoping I'll have money to travel by then and have enough energy to be adventurous. I'm currently 30.

The ideal age to be an empty nester is when your kids are successfully finished all their education debt-free (undergrad, grad, professional school), launched in a career, (perhaps even married), have some nest egg saved and are making good money.

I have no desire to be an empty nester in the American sense. Hopefully, my home remains a family home for my kids and extended family for as long as it can. The things that people look forward to at retirement - having leisure time. travel, having friends, socializing - all of these things have happened for us from the time we got married. Our adventures included our children and we enjoyed it.

[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.

Yikes. This is not the wonderful story you think it is. How old are you, second wife?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the ideal age to be an empty nester, and what age will you be one?

My children will be 18/20 when I am 42. I already have an empty home while they are at their father's home, I have fun with friends while they are gone. 42 seems a bit young to have grown children, but I'm also hoping I'll have money to travel by then and have enough energy to be adventurous. I'm currently 30.

The ideal age to be an empty nester is when your kids are successfully finished all their education debt-free (undergrad, grad, professional school), launched in a career, (perhaps even married), have some nest egg saved and are making good money.

I have no desire to be an empty nester in the American sense. Hopefully, my home remains a family home for my kids and extended family for as long as it can. The things that people look forward to at retirement - having leisure time. travel, having friends, socializing - all of these things have happened for us from the time we got married. Our adventures included our children and we enjoyed it. [/quote

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Yikes. This is not the wonderful story you think it is. How old are you, second wife?

38!

It’s actually pretty great. Get a guy experienced in raising kids, but also older, more mature, and with more money.

[Anonymous]

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.

OP here. What? I even admit that it seems too young. I'm not proud of getting knocked up at 21 lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I only had one kid and will be an empty nester at 56.

I think with one kid this is great because we'll have the money and flexibility to start traveling more extensively with our kid when she's a teen and we'll be ready to start transitioning to full retirement while she is in college (which I think is good timing financially). This gives us some years to travel together just us and enjoy retirement before she starts a family (if she does) which I think will coincide with is being ready to settle down closer to her and help with grandkids.

I think I'd feel down differently about all this if we had more kids.

Yeah, that was us.

Until we both got forced into retirement and replaced with younger people.

Ah, life.

[Anonymous]

We were 53, and it was/is perfect. We can support the kids (pay for college, visit each once per semester), still travel as a family over winter holidays and summer, and on our own (secure in jobs and the flexibility with senior positions to taken off whenever needed).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Girl's trips are only sad when you're under 30. After 50, girls trips are a fun, exciting part of being empty nesters.

Why do you think girls trips are sad when you are young? Those were some of my best memories actually!

[Anonymous]

Will be 55. Am dreeeeeading it. Feels like gateway to death! Like you’re just old then. I do what I want to do now and feel younger bc I have youngish kids

[Anonymous]

Best age is when you are done with your job of raising your kids. Americans would say when kids turn 18 others might say it’s never done.

[Anonymous]

Had my kids at 38 and 41 (married at 36), so I'll be old, but there is no way I could have stayed married happily (of happily enough) if I was younger. I have needed my maturity and life experiences more than most people, I guess.

[Anonymous]

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.

OP here. What? I even admit that it seems too young. I'm not proud of getting knocked up at 21 lol

Don’t worry about it, OP. Some people will be offended by anything.