Would you if you could?
By Joanie
@Freelanzer (10743)
Canada
November 5, 2015 3:56pm CST
If you could have a baby at any age, would you? You may have children who are all grown up but feel the urge to have another child. Or perhaps you never had children and in your golden years technological advances makes it possible for you to have a child, relatively safely. And if you are a man, would you consider having a child in your senior years? Would you, if you could? How old is too old? Why would you? Why wouldn't you?
Image is mine
16 people like this
17 responses
@WorDazza (15830)
• Manchester, England
5 Nov 15
Never!!! I had a vasectomy not long after my second child was born.
I think it's unfair on a child to have parents who are so old that they may not live long enough to see their child through to adulthood. In any case, in my experience, bringing up children is most definitely a young person's game!!
5 people like this
@Freelanzer (10743)
• Canada
5 Nov 15
It is indeed. You really have to have a lot of energy to keep up with young kids and a bad knee wouldn't help
2 people like this
@Freelanzer (10743)
• Canada
6 Nov 15
@WorDazza He should have been planning hi retirement but instead has to deal with young children. On the other hand, if he is a first time dad, it may be something he finds pleasure in even though he is an older dad. There is always the though that when you leave this world, your genetic code will not be lost forever.
1 person likes this
@WorDazza (15830)
• Manchester, England
6 Nov 15
@Freelanzer My daughter went to school with a girl who's father was in his sixties. The poor bloke looked absolutely knackered whenever I bumped into him. And not to mention the embarrassment when people who didn't know him just assumed he was her Grandfather!!!
2 people like this
@Drosophila (16571)
• Ireland
5 Nov 15
Nope! I don't want to have children at all.
3 people like this
@Freelanzer (10743)
• Canada
5 Nov 15
A lot of people men and women, make the choice not to have children
1 person likes this
@Drosophila (16571)
• Ireland
6 Nov 15
@Freelanzer Yep, I always get the question "why don't you want to have children". Response is simple, because I've thought things through, I cannot commit myself to the extent a good parent needs to. Thus, I choose not to.
Then I always counter ask "why do you have children?" The response I get are always, "its just happened" or " because I wanted to". Which in my books are not really "thought it though".
3 people like this
@SBhargav (44)
• India
6 Nov 15
@Freelanzer Yes, they do. Most often than not, such people are hounded - even today!
@epiffanie (11326)
• Australia
9 Nov 15
I made a conscious decision to have my last child at the age of 30. Having children is a serious decision and I didn't see myself pregnant after the age of 30. My youngest child is 29 years old but some of my friends have 13 or 14 years old kids..I can't imagine myself dealing with teenagers growing pains at my age right now ..
2 people like this
@hereandthere (45645)
• Philippines
9 Nov 15
it's the same with people who remarry and the wife is much younger.
1 person likes this
@Freelanzer (10743)
• Canada
12 Nov 15
Yes you will really have to want that and be able to deal with young children in the mid ages
@cahaya1983 (11116)
• Malaysia
6 Nov 15
I would stop at 35. It takes physical energy to look after the kids and I think I would prefer to rest and travel when I'm old.
3 people like this
@cahaya1983 (11116)
• Malaysia
11 Nov 15
@Freelanzer Yeah I can imagine that, I like seeing how my parents are enjoying their time now.
@Freelanzer (10743)
• Canada
6 Nov 15
It feels good when you have finished raising your children and you can enjoy your freedom, retirement and the grandkids
2 people like this
@martygoldeng (47)
• United States
6 Nov 15
Many people have said that having children was the highlight of their lives.
People would go on having children all their lives if they could.
There are 2 instinctive motivations common to all who've ever lived, survival of yourself as an individual, and continuing the existence of the specie as a whole.
Survival is a daily chore, what with drivers texting, food additives threatening, and neighbors making it impossible to sleep.
But assuming you've survived, the next step up the ladder is...what about the rest of the human race? There are unborn children waiting to be born, and if God has given you the strength to get the job done, regardless of age, you'll do it. You can't help it. You're only human.
@Freelanzer (10743)
• Canada
6 Nov 15
I guess if we were threatened with extinction and we had the ability to have children at any age, we may have the urge to do so to preserve the species
@Freelanzer (10743)
• Canada
6 Nov 15
@SBhargav I also think it is simply a human, animal instinct or urge to procreate which means that many people who shouldn't have children just do it without a thought as to why they are doing in.This of course causes a lot of other problems.
@SBhargav (44)
• India
6 Nov 15
@Freelanzer , @martygoldeng - Exactly, if we are on the verge of extinction, it makes sense to go on having children. People who want kids should do it.
And those who don't, should not be forced into having them. It isn't a duty, certainly not in these times. There is only one reason to have kids - if you love and want them so much that you absolutely cannot imagine your life without them.
2 people like this
@Freelanzer (10743)
• Canada
6 Nov 15
I guess for a first timer, if you were busy with career and having fun and decide in your twilight years that you need to have an offspring thin I could understand a little. However, hopefully you are able to hire a full time nanny.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (341742)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Nov 15
@Freelanzer A full-time nanny? Now you're talking! But imagine having a child, maybe late 40s, then having to deal with a teenager in your 60s.
1 person likes this
@kevin1877uk (36988)
•
5 Nov 15
No I can't have any more I've had the operation :)
1 person likes this
@kevin1877uk (36988)
•
5 Nov 15
@Freelanzer Yeah I know, but I don't want it reversed.
1 person likes this
@MakingCents (743)
•
6 Nov 15
I probably wouldn't I wouldn't want to be 80 years old say with a 20 year old. I know we don't control how long we live, but I'd like to give my kids the best chance to have their parents in their lives for a long time. We had our first kid when I was 33. We want to have 3,I already feel like we started too late.
1 person likes this
@Freelanzer (10743)
• Canada
6 Nov 15
I see your point but at 80 you would have had 20 years to enjoy your child and while you may or may not see your grand children, would you, if you were that person, give that up for anything? While I wouldn't want to have a child at 60, if it were my last chance and I really wanted to leave a legacy, and it was possible-- maybe, maybe not. But there are some who may feel strongly about it especially if it is a man who really wouldn't have to spend 9 months carrying the child and 18 hours in labor..
@rakski (125761)
• Philippines
8 Nov 15
No. I would not want to have kids on old age. Probably 40 is the most but for those who do not have kids, they can try it at until 45-48. Not because it is not safe but because merely of the age of the mom if she can still take care of the baby at that age.
1 person likes this
@Freelanzer (10743)
• Canada
8 Nov 15
The older you get the more problems can arise when giving birth
@antonbunot (11093)
• Calgary, Alberta
9 Nov 15
O, my wife and our children would love to. Is it not nice to have a menopausal baby when all the kids are grown and even have children of their own? They would surely love to pamper their baby sister or brother!
1 person likes this
@Freelanzer (10743)
• Canada
12 Nov 15
I am sure that baby would be really spoiled, and since the parents may be retired she will get a lot of attention
@1creekgirl (41686)
• United States
6 Nov 15
I adore our two children, but I'm glad we had them when we were young. It takes a lot of energy to keep up with kids. I'm enjoying grandkids now, every chance I get!
1 person likes this
@Freelanzer (10743)
• Canada
6 Nov 15
Yes children can be a handful and if you want to pamper young kids later in life, that is what grandchildren are for.
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (83062)
• United States
5 Nov 15
I had my 4 children when I was young and now I am a grandmother to 10. I have no desire to have any more children even if I could and just enjoy my grandchildren. Maybe if I never had children and my biological clock was ticking I might consider having a child later in life.
1 person likes this
@Freelanzer (10743)
• Canada
5 Nov 15
For most of us once you been there and done that it is time to relax and enjoy the grandchildren
@Pattitude (1287)
• Newton, North Carolina
14 Nov 15
I had my babies in my 20s, and as far as I am concerned there is a good reason to have babies in your 20s. You have more energy!
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (20046)
• United States
6 Nov 15
Ever since I was nine, I have said I don't want kids. I just don't think I would be a good mother.
1 person likes this
@Freelanzer (10743)
• Canada
6 Nov 15
I wish there were more people like you in this world. Most people just feel it is a right of passage, something on their to do list whether or not they really want, can take care of, or afford to have children
1 person likes this
@marguicha (223720)
• Chile
5 Nov 15
I have 2 daughters and I am thankfyl that I had them when I was very young. At this age, some days I even feel too old to be a grandmother
1 person likes this
@KristenH (33392)
• Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
18 Dec 15
Well I've known that for the past 15 years or so, motherhood in the 40s and beyond that has been a trend for celebrities and regular people like us. For me, I wouldn't mind have children a few years ago. Now I believe my time's up to have kids, etc. As for too old, I'll say 50 or when you reach menopause.