| | What is the best age to have children? Why?This is sort of tricky. In my mind, the [short] answer would be after graduating from college, but before the age of 30 in addition to being able to take care of a baby. My explanation for this would be that you don't want to be too old because then... it would be harder to be active/keep up with her/him/them as they grow older. Not to mention that put another way, there would generally be less overlapping time during which you would both be... alive. When I was in high school, a couple classmates had parents who passed away. My mom's uncle will be in his 70s when his children are in college. When Marc is 10, Manny will be in his mid 30s. When Marc is done with college, Manny will only be in his late 40s. Physically, it's harder/more difficult for women over 30 to have children. A man in his 30s would be okay, but as he gets older... well there are things like sperm count being low, erectile dysfunction, etc. Not quite the same as growing and bearing a baby, but you know. One of Manny's co-workers, he's in his late-30s or early 40s I think, well... he and his late 20s/early 30s wife have been trying for years. They even tried in vitro fertilization... twice. I think they are now considering adoption. The second part of my answer says being able to take care of a baby. Of course it would be in the baby's best interest if the couple was financially secure, able to support/take care of themselves, emotionally mature enough, etc. Wanting to have a baby in the first place would be good too. And if an accident happens... well... as long as the couple loves each other, wants to have the baby, and is able to take care of him/her, that's okay too. Most people who consider having children are able to take care of them. For some, the main issue of concern is when to have them. That and the related question of, "Are we ready?" Well, let me tell you something... there's only so much you can do to make yourself ready. You can have all the baby stuff in the world, take parenting classes, read literature on the topic, babysit your baby niece/nephew, etc. and that would all certainly help you to prepare, but in the end, you still probably won't know what being a parent is really like until it happens. Until you're responsible for your own, 24/7. Some people turn this into a waiting game of sorts. After I graduate, after grad school, after I have a few years of job experience under my belt, after some traveling, after we get married, after we get a small place together, after we sell the small place and get a larger house, after my sister's wedding, after my raise, after my spouse's promotion... maybe then I'll/we'll be ready. Occasionally and unfortunately for some it's too late by then. So.......... in a nutshell if you're done with school, with the one you love, settled down and financially able... don't delay! :D Oh and this is all probably a bit biased considering my family is a family of accidents :p
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