My twenty year high school reunion is just around the corner. I loved high school. L to the O to the V to the E to the D. LOVED it! I just hope that my children end up having such a wonderful experience.
Of course, this has prompted me to reflect a bit on the past twenty years. I've thought less about accomplishments and more about where I am in relation to my peers.
I see their pictures on Facebook and I see their children in middle school, in high school, graduating, and *gasp* some of them in college. They opted for a different path. Here I am with an infant and some of them are preparing to be grandparents (for real).
When my mother was the age I am now, she had a child going to college. My younger cousins have middle and high schoolers. I have a baby who is not yet crawling.
I know that different situations arise and different paths are better for different people, but I wouldn't change a thing about the way that we had our children. I spent my twenties and early thirties having a grand time. I could never have been the parent I am now back then.
I think I'm finally able to say that I really like being an "older" parent. At least I say that now. Ask me again in another twenty years.
7 comments:
I am on a similar path to yours, and I completely agree that being an "older" parent has made me a better one. I wasn't a parent then, but I had completely different ideas about it then.
I think I've ended up being a younger parent than most of our friends. Which is strange to me, I was 27 when Elizabeth was born. But we were the first we knew to have kids. Totally bizarre.
My mom was 30 when she had my sister and 33 when she had me. Back then, that was old and she was the oldest parent by far of all my friends. But she was also the only one with a master's degree and I was always so proud of that. Now, I'm glad I was raised by an educated woman who waited until she was ready to fully focus on her children!
And yeah, I have some facebook friends who already have kids in middle school and neither of mine have even started kindergarten. I also have some high school friends who are just getting married!
I think it's all about the timing that is right for you. :) I am a younger parent then most of my peers. My kids (especially the older ones) have parents a good 5-8 years older then me on average, but for myself I know this was the right choice. One in that I married an older man, ;) but also because I feel the energy I have now with baby number five and realize there is no way I could just be starting out now. I'm tired!
I think it's all about the timing that is right for you. :) I am a younger parent then most of my peers. My kids (especially the older ones) have parents a good 5-8 years older then me on average, but for myself I know this was the right choice. One in that I married an older man, ;) but also because I feel the energy I have now with baby number five and realize there is no way I could just be starting out now. I'm tired!
I'm with you. My wenties were a mix of hard work, good and bad decisions, and a whole lotta fun. J am prou did the parent I've been able to become and I think some of that is directly related to the time I gave myself in my twenties.
Kind of bummed I have to skip my twentieth reunion, but I didn't like high school all that much anyway.
College students?! Craziness.
I agree that we each choose different paths that fit us. I know you think you are an "older" parent, but you would be shocked to hear that in the military world I am also considered an older parent as most mom's my age have much older children. Hence why I feel I do not "fit."
Post a Comment