How many people are ready to settle down and start a family at my age?

To tell you the truth I was 18 already wanted to settle down but the thing is you change as a person throughout the years. I am 28 now. I am divorced with 2 children. Now I look forward to dating and seeing the real world before I consider settling down again. There is nothing wrong with your thoughts but you should always keep your options open, you never know.

I've been your age, and if the partying years are done for, now the years to explore who you are, and what you have to offer in a relationship start. Rushing from the partying scene, straight into marriage is not the wisest thing to do, but if you think you can handle that----why not?

You sound like an up right guy, maybe like to help people. I felt like you did at one point in my life, now I'm going to school for a teaching major. If this really drives you, feel compelled by it; find some friends who have children and hang out with them, volunteer o babysit, things like that. I discovered that I like watching my nieces, but I'm not totally ready for all that comes with it. I don't however, feel like I need to settle down anymore, or anything like that. But like, if you feel like settling down, then that's something that takes a lot of reflection as a person who you see yourself as way, way down the road. Like when your children are going to graduate and things like that.

Now, another thing is, because of the age, you may find someone who thinks that they had thought things through, too. And that you have a common goal in mind, but when you and all of the groups of friends that you hang out with are not ready to settle down, and the person your with sees this as missing out somehow; then that can cause immature problems to what seems to be a mature relationship. But if you still carry yourself in a mature way and the other person doesn't, then there is no need for you to change who you are, just readjust your priorities. It may just be that your ready for something that someone else your age isn't ready for, and people are shocked. Maybe, just because of the age thing, you'll never know unless you ask the people why they are surprised to hear you speak in this manner. That should give you some clues as to how other's view your thinking and how it was for them at the same age.