Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:25. We had family help and lived in a small apartment. Our housing and finances grew with the baby. My second one I was 31 years old.

I was never tired and can’t relate to moms being tired because of a new born baby with the exception of older moms or moms who have a heavy outside workload. At 40 I would be tired.

25 is much too young unless you are from generation where you would be near 80 years of age now.

Why? I had my first at 32 but would not have been sorry to have babies younger if I’d met my husband sooner, etc. I think a big perk of having children younger is just (life expectancy assumptions, not guaranteed) that your children will get to have more time with grandparents, you’ll get more time with your grandkids (if you have any), etc. And tbh I had some great fun in my 20/ (travel etc) but I did a big career reset so I ended up still being “early career” when I had my first, although our finances were stable. Honestly life can take so many different twists and turns— there’s no single right way.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think early 30s. It gives you your entire 20s to have fun, travel, learn things, settle, build finances.

Having kids early and counting on doing all the fun things when they start their own lives away from home is a gamble. You don’t know what your health or your spouses health will be like then.

Early 30s give your best opportunities at both ends of having kids. Young enough to be energetic and (hopefully) still in good health after they are gone to do whatever you’ve always wanted to do.

How do you have fun, travel, learn things and build finances in your 20s at the same time? These women who claim they had large incomes by 30 were not traveling and having fun. The early 20s is school related and can be a fun time but the late 20s you can go have fun or start working.

DP here. We bought our first home at 25 before our first was born at 26. Traded up to our current/long term house at 31. Yes our traveling was curtailed somewhat with babies and toddlers (by choice) but by ES age we were back to fun travels again. No, I didn't build up a high income before I left to SAH, but I was a teacher so a high income was never going to happen for me anyway.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think early 30s. It gives you your entire 20s to have fun, travel, learn things, settle, build finances.

Having kids early and counting on doing all the fun things when they start their own lives away from home is a gamble. You don’t know what your health or your spouses health will be like then.

Early 30s give your best opportunities at both ends of having kids. Young enough to be energetic and (hopefully) still in good health after they are gone to do whatever you’ve always wanted to do.

How do you have fun, travel, learn things and build finances in your 20s at the same time? These women who claim they had large incomes by 30 were not traveling and having fun. The early 20s is school related and can be a fun time but the late 20s you can go have fun or start working.

I had fun, traveled, went to grad school and got a high paying job in my twenties. I got engaged at 27, got married at 29, got pregnant and had my first child at age 30.

I didn’t really build finances but I had a six figure income and married an ambitious smart guy. He now earns a seven figure income and I stay home with our three kids. I was definitely a spender and not a saver but I earned my own money. Thankfully DH earns enough for us to save and spend.

35 and 38 was perfect for me. I was far enough ahead in my career and also more patient!

Anywhere between 25-35, IMO, are best ages to have kids. I had mine between 30-35 (3 kids). We tried for 4th after 35 and things went downhill quickly.

Obviously this is all very subjective but that 10 year period seems prime to me. I'd maybe even stretch to 36/37 but after 40 seems crazy. If that is the hand life has dealt you, though, I imagine that you just roll with it