Is 47 Too Old To Become A Father? Update In Post #155

[tarheelmjfan]

I'd be more worried about it coming back to me legally that it affecting my parenting. If little Grace Homie were to say to her friend, "My dad goes outside several times some nights and when he comes he back in he coughs and smells like a skunk," and Grace's friend repeated that to her mom, and CPS came a-knocking, it would be bad for all concerned.

Maybe I'm naive, but I would assume cigarette smoke.

 

[disneychrista]

Maybe I'm naive, but I would assume cigarette smoke.

Except that cigarettes don't smell like skunk.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Except that cigarettes don't smell like skunk.

I don't think I've ever gotten a whiff of what smelled like pot to me & automatically thought skunk. I'm not judging anyone, but cigarettes & pot both smell bad to me. Then again, I think DH's brewing coffee smells like skunk most of the time.

 

[georgina]

I am surprised by the number of posters who think people in their 40's, 50's, and 60's don't have energy, as that has not been our experience at all. I think older parents have more patience, I know my 5 older siblings were jealous that my mom had mellowed some by the time I came along. She always said I kept her young. I'm 54 and my oldest is 26, and I am in no hurry to be a grandparent.

 

[disneychrista]

I am surprised by the number of posters who think people in their 40's, 50's, and 60's don't have energy, as that has not been our experience at all.

.
Some people may have the energy others may not. I am a month away from my 45th and there is NO WAY that I have the energy for a toddler. I am exhausted at the end of the day as it is.

 

[Kaytie]

Second, not to put too fine a point on it, but I'm way too old to become a dad for the first time, IMO.

Check with Steve Martin on that

 

[Disneybuckeye]

I don't would not want to become a parent at 47. To each their own though.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I am surprised by the number of posters who think people in their 40's, 50's, and 60's don't have energy, as that has not been our experience at all. I think older parents have more patience, I know my 5 older siblings were jealous that my mom had mellowed some by the time I came along. She always said I kept her young. I'm 54 and my oldest is 26, and I am in no hurry to be a grandparent.

I've seen some older parents and I wouldn't say all of them have more patience. I think some just become more passive.

 

[kimblebee]

When I answered upthread, I definitely based my decision on my biases. If I wasn't dealing with all my issues, I'd definitely still be thinking of having a child with my current husband. He really wants to be a dad but also knows that it would take too much of a toll. So, he treats my daughter as his. She had him around her finger from day one and he willingly jumped on LOL

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I've seen some older parents and I wouldn't say all of them have more patience. I think some just become more passive.

That's what I was thinking. My parents had my little brother when I was 19, so they were in their 40's. He STILL gets away with murder. I think they're just done. Like they just don't have the energy/patience so they've thrown their hands up.


*maybe I broke them

 

[mi*vida*loca]

That's what I was thinking. My parents had my little brother when I was 19, so they were in their 40's. He STILL gets away with murder. I think they're just done. Like they just don't have the energy/patience so they've thrown their hands up.


*maybe I broke them

My grandmother had her last kid (my aunt) around the same time I was born. She's only two months older than me. My aunt got away with murder also. They were just over the whole parenting thing. I remember my mom and aunts always making comments on how she was raised vs how they were raised.

I feel like I have a grasp on young life still. I understand social media, texting, cell phones, the slang, etc. I couldn't imagine being 65 with a 16-17 year old and trying to understand what "it's going down in the DM" means. lol I'm not out of the loop on my children YET.

 

[jevs]

My personal opinion for myself is nope, no way. The twins almost killed me with their nighttime feeding

 

[nkereina]

Its an entirely personal decision based on personal wants, health, finances, etc. Do what makes you happy! For me, one thing I always think about is the future when it comes to ge. My grandparents were in their early 40s when they had their last kid, my aunt. Both of my grandparents passed away when my aunt was in her late 30s, which is pretty young for someone to be without both parents. They didn't live long enough to see her get married or have her first child. Granted, she also got married and had kids later in life, but they unfortunately missed out on that due to the age gap. Now, this isn't a reason someone shouldn't have kids older, its just a consideration. A benefit to having kids at an older age though is that people are just more ready for it. Financially, life experiences, etc. My parents had me at 37 and 35 and they both had established careers, had fun being a married couple for 7 years first, and were able to focus on me and life as a family once I came along later in their life. Lots to be said from both angles!

 

[Pacolovestacos]

This doesn't apply to the OP but I think the other important issue would be if the 47 year old already had kids or if this would be their first and perhaps last opportunity to have a child. I know quite a few older men who waited a LONG time to have the wife and perhaps thinking about having one kid because they never did. That's a very important consideration.

 

[wenrob]

My personal opinion for myself is nope, no way. The twins almost killed me with their nighttime feeding

Twins will break anybody, lol. The way my DH's shift worked I actually had help with night/early AM feedings about 80% of the time. But the toddler years? They just about did me in. The amount of trouble those two could find when I turned my back for two seconds was astounding. No way could I do it now.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Former Coworker adopted their first child when he & his wife were both early 50's. Friend of mine did the same last year, though they have one biological child of their own as well (about 8 years older than the adopted child).

Edit: I was 38 when my youngest was born & I thought THAT was old

 

[Klayfish]

I am surprised by the number of posters who think people in their 40's, 50's, and 60's don't have energy, as that has not been our experience at all. I think older parents have more patience, I know my 5 older siblings were jealous that my mom had mellowed some by the time I came along. She always said I kept her young. I'm 54 and my oldest is 26, and I am in no hurry to be a grandparent.

Oh, I've probably got the energy. I just turned 45 and I'm in outstanding physical shape. I simply wouldn't want to do it again, partly because of the quote below.

My personal opinion for myself is nope, no way. The twins almost killed me with their nighttime feeding

Yes, yes, yes. I was 35 when our twins were born and while it was an experience I'll treasure forever, it is also one that pretty much broke me from the standpoint of wanting to handle babies again. I will never forget doing those midnight feedings. Had both of them in boppy pillows, kneeling between them. One bottle in each hand feeding them at the same time. Many, many times they would both puke at the same time (they had pretty bad reflux), so lots of clean up, changing outfits, more formula, ugh... Never, ever again.

 

[jrmasm]

That's what I was thinking. My parents had my little brother when I was 19, so they were in their 40's. He STILL gets away with murder. I think they're just done. Like they just don't have the energy/patience so they've thrown their hands up.


*maybe I broke them

That's what I tell my older daughter when she gets cranky about how we parent her baby sister.

To answer the OP's question, for me 47 would be too old.

 

[soccerdad72]

I don't would not want to become a parent at 47. To each their own though.

ITA with this - I have no desire to become a parent that old (I'm 45 now).

 

[Vijoge]

My grandmother had her last kid (my aunt) around the same time I was born. She's only two months older than me. My aunt got away with murder also. They were just over the whole parenting thing. I remember my mom and aunts always making comments on how she was raised vs how they were raised.

I feel like I have a grasp on young life still. I understand social media, texting, cell phones, the slang, etc. I couldn't imagine being 65 with a 16-17 year old and trying to understand what "it's going down in the DM" means. lol I'm not out of the loop on my children YET.

It's not really that hard. I have a granddaughter, 17, who moved in with me about ten years ago. In addition to facebook, I'm on snapchat, instagram, twitter, and vine lol I'm 66 and people always say "I don't even know what that is!"