What age should you have to be to have kids?

[banraeth]

Funny, I'd say 16 for sex and 23 (or older, older is better) for marriage. Kids can wait for 30. Have some fun while you're young. Learn to love yourself before depending on others for it. Figure out sex before tying yourself down.

 

[Phoenix09215]

Technically its 16... But I personally can't see myself having kids until, at the earliest, 25. But if your capable and mature than any age after 16 I guess? (although after 40 is getting a bit ridiculous)

I had kids at 24 and at 42...guess what. Age doesn't matter. And why is after 40 a bit ridiculous?

Okay maybe I was being a bit harsh saying 40 is ridiculous. But, say you were to have a kid at 60... Then they're only gonna be 20 when your 80. Thats makes it likely that your not going to live past their 20th birthday. And I personally think thats unfair on the kid.

 

[SeanTheSheep]

To put it the clichéed way "When you're ready"
I know it sounds stupid and tossed around far too liberally, but I honestly think then when you're mature enough to cope with the responsibility, can support the child, give it a healthy environment to develop in, and are willing to undergo the whole process of yourself if you are a woman or the prospective mother if not, carrying a growing human being for nine months, then you should start to think about the possibility of a child.

 

[Ekonk]

I was 18 when I had my Daughter (4 days shy of 19)I'm now 20, my boyfriend was 23 and is now 25.

We were both and still are very much in love, we've financialy stable by working, have our own place etc.

I do a better job than most people in the late 20's/early 30's age is nothing, it's down to maturaty and financial situations.

Man. Gettin' a child at that age. I don't even wanna think about it.

But hey, it worked out for you, so, grats, I suppose.

 

[Prof.Wood]

36
Double my age and im 1/2 a good person so twice the time should do.

 

[LarenzoAOG]

Old enough to have a job and some damn sense, I'm looking at you unwed teenage mothers, really, maybe you should have thought that out. And I don't want to hear someone complain about me being an ass, sometimes you just have to be an ass.

 

[gamepopper101]

25, long enough to have a steady life (meaning having a job, getting a home, getting married) so you won't feel like you are rushing around after you found out the news.

 

[KingGolem]

If I had to say, I'd put it around the late twenties. But it's not really age that's important; it's economic and marital stability. If you're broke, or you and your wife are getting into fights all the time, you ought not to have a child.

 

[aLivingPheonix]

Snip

Poor form, but /thread. I mean, there's nothing more to say really. It all depends on how capable you are as a parent and stuff.

I love your avatar.

Also, I believe that it has nothing to do with age, more if your ready to have a child, and know the consequences.

And your significant other is, and does too.

 

[FamoFunk]

I cannot see how someone in their 20's could consider themselves ready for a child. Just because you CAN have one doesn't mean you should. You probably don't even have a career, your're struggling to make your relationships work and if you had a baby your attention would mostly be focused on your life and your problems instead of being focused on the child's life and the child's problems.

Raising a child isn't easy and it requires 100% dedication. When you have a child you stop thinking about what could benefit you and start thinking of what could benefit him/her. Your problems no longer matter. If you're unwilling to make those sacrifices then the child will probably end up emotionally scarred and dysfunctional and your relationship with the spawn of Satan himself will be strained. I think people undermine how complex raising a child can be and the importance of having completely involved parents in a child's life.

If you do not have stable income, are not in a good relationship and the two of you are unable to sacrifice both of your lives, figuratively speaking, then you shouldn't pop a child into the world. You'd be making a huge mistake, both to yourselves and to the child.

Why brush every young parent with the same brush? The last two paragraphs could be said for any age wo/man

A lot of people in their 30's sure as hell ain't ready for children but pop them out none the less... the way I've seen what is suppose to be fully grown mature adult talk to and treat their children is fucking disgusting (Yes, young parents do this too, but a shite load of "older" ones do too), my Daughter has and will continue to have the best life any child could ask for, the love I have for her is one you cannot describe.

Sorry if I seem very defensive, but it does get annoying when, just because you fall into the age category, you're automaticaly a bad parent.

 

[Elburzito]

No standard. When one thinks one is ready, at a time when one is confident in ones own readiness. Otherwise, you can't go wrong with 31.4159...

YEAH! PI ROCKS!

OT: I wouldn't know. I think you should plan everything out before you go out and get pregnant. Make sure you can support the child, as well as be a positive role-model as he/she gets older. You can then proceed to get pregnant...

 

[108Stitches]

Technically its 16... But I personally can't see myself having kids until, at the earliest, 25. But if your capable and mature than any age after 16 I guess? (although after 40 is getting a bit ridiculous)

I had kids at 24 and at 42...guess what. Age doesn't matter. And why is after 40 a bit ridiculous?

Okay maybe I was being a bit harsh saying 40 is ridiculous. But, say you were to have a kid at 60... Then they're only gonna be 20 when your 80. Thats makes it likely that your not going to live past their 20th birthday. And I personally think thats unfair on the kid.

Well, 60 is completely different than 40. (Appologies in advance for any of you Michael Douglass types on here having kids at 60 (and high-fives to you as well)).

I know my youngest son is going to scratch his head and wonder why his dad looks so much older than all of the other dads that show up to school, but so long as I continue to stay active and live a (somewhat) healthy lifestyle, by the time he has flown the coup, the only one that will feel unfair may be his grandkids.

Of course, my oldest son keeps reminding me how old I really am...damn 17 year old punk...GET OFF MY LAWN!

 

[Sigmund Av Volsung]

30 probably.
Lets face it, youll be pretty bored by then

 

[JoJo]

Any age could be a good parent... but I reckon that if you have kids before you're 25, then you're missing out on your own youth.

 

[Master_of_Oldskool]

Around 25 is probably best, especially since that pretty much guarentees that you'll still be fairly young and vital when your grandchildren come around.

 

[Nannernade]

It really depends on when you're ready to have children, I'd have to say... maybe 25 or 30.

 

[EeveeElectro]

I'm not going to echo what everyone else said, but I agree with it being about be able to handle a child.
My friend is a year younger than me with a child and she does a damn better job than my sister who is 23.
Unfortunately, I know a lot of people who have kids for the money /:
I'd want a child at about 25/26. I definitely don't want one right now, I'd rather wait until I have a career, have my own place with my partner and can drive.

 

[Shadowfaze]

21 (the minimum age, regarding responsibility and income) to 30 (the maximum age, mostly because of...well, age. you'll be old when your kids are teens.)