What counts as a young parent, average age and an older parent?

[MrsM17]

I am 32 and have an almost 15 month old son. I had him 4 weeks before I turned 31.

I am a 'normal' age I feel. For me personally I think young is 26 and under. Old as 35+

I better get a wriggle on for no.2 as im not that far off the latter bracket! x

 

[Dragonfly]

*fist pump* still in normal parent range, bring it..lol

 

[bananaboat]

I think in my area, couples are focused on education/career and then family. Seems most people are now getting married 26-30ish. I'd say:

Under 25- Young
25-35- Average
Over 35- Older

 

[poppy]

I definitely think your perception is down to your own area, social group and education/career. I was so surprised at seeing many people say early 20s as average as most of my friends had their first baby in their late 20s to early 30s. I had my first baby at 31 and second at 33 - I wouldn't class myself as a young mum but certainly wouldn't see myself as an older one. Most people round about me have gone to university and then worked in a career for five/ten years, so for me, seeing people have babies in their late 20s/early 30s seems the average. Younger than say 27 (for your first), I would consider young and older than 37, I would see as older (for a first baby).

 

[Varenne]

I think the important thing is that it doesn't matter. If you're healthy, set to be healthy while the child grows up and a loving, patient, sensible and totally committed person, plus you are old enough to have the resources, people should keep their opinions to themselves if you ask me. It's a very personal decision. I'm in the funny position of being near middling without kids yet...so some have asked why we don't have any, and some have said "you're only 25!"

 

[mara16jade]

I would call under 25 young, 25-35 average and over 35 older. most people I know with kids started in their late 20s or early 30s

Agreed!!

 

[mara16jade]

It does also depend on your area, and the people you're around. For me (I just turned 30) I have ONE friend who had a baby this year, and then a cousin who just had a baby last year. So that right there makes us all in the 29-31 y.o. range = normal! haha

It seems the career driven group get married later and have kids later.


Has anyone seen the movie Idiocracy? If you have, you'll know what I'm hinting at. LOL

 

[Kayleigh Lou]

It seems the career driven group get married later and have kids later.


Has anyone seen the movie Idiocracy? If you have, you'll know what I'm hinting at. LOL

That's not really fair. I had children early but that didn't make me less career driven.

 

[Andi86]

I'm 26 and the last of my friends to have a baby. Most of my friends my age already have 2-3 kids already. I would say in my area below 20 is a teen parent, 20-24 is a young parent, 24-30 is average, and over 30 is older parent.

 

[mrs owl]

A lot of people my age in my social group are married but almost non of them have children.
I'm originally from South Africa and I agree with the person on one of the previous posts that you need to be financially secure before you have a child there. But imo South African's do marry young but I think it's more for religious reasons.

I never actually set a date on when to have children but I would at least want to be financially secure so that it's one less thing to think about when I have a baby.

 

[Creative]

I know I don't really belong in this group, but the title pulled me in. I was 22 when I had my first baby, but at the time I lived in the commuter belt of leafy surrey and at the antenatal group, I was the youngest by over ten years. the youngest mum to be was 35!
Now I am having baby number 4 and I am 44 and I'm in an area where everyone is having babies in their 20's and looking at me as though I am a freak show!

 

[Angelbaby_01]

I would call under 25 young, 25-35 average and over 35 older. most people I know with kids started in their late 20s or early 30s

I would say this as well!

I had my DD when I was 23 and definitely felt like a young mom where I am. By the time I have my next (26 most likely) I would consider myself at a pretty 'normal' age for having children.

I had DD at 23 as well and felt very young in my area. Elderly people actually looked nasty at me in the mall when I walked past them because they thought how could such a "young girl" have a baby. Yet, they probably had their babies at 19 back then which was the norm then. I would probably and hopefully have my next baby at around 28. (I pray for before then...........)

 

[Angelbaby_01]

A lot of people my age in my social group are married but almost non of them have children.
I'm originally from South Africa and I agree with the person on one of the previous posts that you need to be financially secure before you have a child there. But imo South African's do marry young but I think it's more for religious reasons.

I never actually set a date on when to have children but I would at least want to be financially secure so that it's one less thing to think about when I have a baby.

Funny enough though. I am from South Africa and live in Gauteng. Most of the people I know and my friends married in the early to mid twenties, but only got their first child late twenties to early thirties. I was the odd one out to get married in the early twenties and have my first before 25. The one day I was walking in the shopping mall and this one old lady looked at me like something the cat dragged in because I was so young and also I didn't wear my wedding band because my fingers was so swollen. It happened quite a lot though after that as well. lol But, that said. Financially we would have to wait before having the next child due to health insurance costs and saving for school. We are planning to let our children go to private school because government schools are just one S@#$$@ hole. Excuse my language. Personally I don't think there is a right age, but do think you need to consider financial support and your own health first no matter where you are.

 

[MUMOF5]

I think 16-23 is young, mid 20's-mid 30's average age and 35 and over an 'older parent'.

I had my first at 18, I've had most of my children whilst in the 'average' category and hope to also have one in the 'older' category.

I would not be without any of my babies , but I do think that in hindsight I have become a better parent with age

 

[Ruth 1980]

In the city I live in, the average age for a woman to have her FIRST baby is 31!! I had my 1st at 31 too. I'm the only one in my group of friends here with a baby x

 

[Red Rose]

I had my DD when I was 23 and was considered 'very young' amongst the mum friends I made.

 

[Buttercup84]

I got pregnant at 26, had DD at 27 and didn't/don't consider myself a young mum, but I look young so I think i'm perceived as one sometimes. In my city i'd say most women have their first babies at a younger age than the UK average but I find the mums I meet at groups tend to be a bit older.

 

[mara16jade]

It seems the career driven group get married later and have kids later.


Has anyone seen the movie Idiocracy? If you have, you'll know what I'm hinting at. LOL

That's not really fair. I had children early but that didn't make me less career driven.

I didn't mean any offense. My mom was a young mom - had my sister at 22 yr. old and became a geologist for NASA. So no, just because you have kids young doesn't always mean you're less career given. The people, besides my mom, who I know had kids early seemed to have given up on a career though. That's what I've observed with most of the people I've been around.

 

[Cryssie]

Imo.
Under 20 - teen parent
20-25 - young parent
25-32 - average parent
32+ - older parent

My mom had me when she was 32 and never did much with me claiming her age. I had my son at 24 and I'll have our next either at 26 or 27.