Why are people having babies younger and younger?

Question

POLL QUESTION: What is your ideal age to have kids?

I am 24... and it seems like everyone and their grandmother has had children at age 18-22! Not only that... it seems that when people have kids this early, a majority are single parents (especially single moms). Let's face it, being a single parent at such a young age will put a major strain on your love life, so what's the point? And it will leave the kid without a father or mother figure to look up to.

Why do you think people are having kids so young? What are your opinions on this?

Ozanne · Accepted Answer

If you're asking why this is happening, my guess is that there is lack of responsibility with young people. There is a generation full of people who have been saved by their own parents whenever they can't find a place, can't get a ride somewhere, need food, need anything - that if they have a baby, good old mom and dad will be there too to help look after the baby, so all is well in their world. I have also seen some incredible questions on GaG about young women considering pregnancy because they think it will make their boyfriends happy. If this sort of mentality is what they have and they already live in an environment where they are constantly being rescued by their own parents (which is my generation), then this just my guess as to why it's happening.

In my generation we had a fear that if we couldn't look after a baby, we'd lose the child or go broke trying to figure things out. We took birth control and certainly didn't want to get strapped with a lousy partner for fear that a child would keep us linked forever. I'm not sure why this isn't a factor anymore and children just seem to be disposable. I fault my own generation for making it seem like the young people irresponsibly having kids now (age 16-20ish) shouldn't have to think of consequence.

The only ones that are really going to pay for this are the children being born in to this sort of wishy washy thinking.

Vanina · Accepted Answer

I think that the trend is exactly the opposite actually. Nowadays, people are having children over 30 and a vast majority of them decide not to have at all (this is just a fact, no personal opinion, everyone has the right to decide). Whereas, before at about 20, even earlier was an age when not only should you have a child but must also be married, in order to be respectable. These days there seems to be so many other things to do, that people don't find the purpose of giving birth or raising a child. In consequence, they become older and therefore less and less productive. If eventually they decide to have a child they are a lot older than the usual and (most of the times) and don't have that many common grounds as when the parents are younger. For me, a good age to have children, both for the woman (physically) and for the child (his/hers communication with the parents) is at around 26-30.

TheFangirl · Accepted Answer

I think they are having it, because it used to be pressured that you need to be a virgin before you marry. But now a days it isn't like that, a lot of more people are having sex. So, it leads to pregnancy. I think it is sad, because it not only hurts the parent, but the kids sometimes. Some kids are better at dealing with being a parent than others, but others not so much. But I also see it as a good thing in some cases. Such as the kid had nobody else in their life, no family. But then they were given a little them, who is now their family. It can make them try harder in life, and feel happier.

snowangle · Accepted Answer

I think late 20s, early 30s is a good age. Having kids isn't something you want to rush. Once you become a parent, you are never NOT a parent after that, haha. Kids these days should really learn this.

AdamThomas · Accepted Answer

Are they though? In the past it was usual to have kids that young and to be married. Now a lot of people wait til their late 20s and early 30s, or sometimes later. I think that's too late, you're more at risk of complications and will have more difficulty concieving, not to mention the fact that you have 10 years less time to spend with your kids. I had my first son at 23, my gf was 22, we're doing fine. She got pregnant straight away, had a perfect birth and a perfectly healthy baby.

JackKerouac77 · Accepted Answer

They're not, you're just seeing people have babies around you that are young. People have had babies at all times in their life throughout history. The youngest recorded mother was 5.

sammy_31 · Answer

I think if you are 18 and over its socially acceptable because you're an adult BUT still can't care for a child and yourself yet. 21 is iffy but I say in your early to mid 20s is okay to start, should be stable in your job/career. Man, it annoys me that kids know they shouldn't be sexually active and NOT use protection. Like if you're going to have sex be protected, know the consequences, don't rely on your family to help you out. You did something that will change your life forever, be prepared, and they should have been smarter and educated. Some kids quite frankly have little self control, too much hormones, don't think through, are easily pressured and lack the ability to understand the consequences, own up to it and take responsibility. Their brains are still developing, shoot mine is still at 22.

Hidden_P · Answer

I disagree. We're getting older and older.

If you go back to before careers etc when they were farmers and royalty, etc etc, girls were married off about 12/13 and making children 14/15. If anything, nowadays we're the opposite. A lot of women wait until mid 30s, when it's the worst time to have children.

The ideal time to have children is early twenties.

Time's running out for me...

FlyingTurtle · Answer

Ha, well back in the old days girls would start pushing out babies as soon as they got their periods and were married to someone, soooo compared to that 18 really isn't that young. In fact even in the 1950s girls were often married at 18 and considered ready to be a mother.

zazada12 · Answer

And for today's unpopular opinion, bad parenting!

Nobody even disciplines their children anymore. The more you tell someone they can't do something, the more they'll want to. And they have it in their heads they can do exactly the things their parents say not to, and they won't face any consequences.

I'm sure there will be plenty of people to disagree with me, but I'm firm in that belief.

rihannanavy · Answer

As wonderful as growing up with your kid to be the youngest mom in their grade sounds, becoming a single mom is particularly true and devastating. I want a kid and be married by 27. I need to know what I want and be done with college too.

AtsukoJun · Answer

I said 30+ but I dont think I would ever want any children. I want a stress free life. I'm not saying having children is stressful. It's just you have to become a responsible person and you have to contriubte a lot of your time. It's just not my thing.

emerald77 · Answer

Tell me about it. Every time I log into social media I see another one of my friends is pregnant... And I have been there for a few close friends during their pregnancy and after, and I can tell you that is is NOT easy for a teenager to have a kid!

thegentleman1 · Answer

People aren't using condums as much as they should, its a scary thought how many people are willing to have sex with out a condum, with out thinking about what the out come could be.

ButtHoleSandwich · Answer

I got pregnant at 22 and had her at 23. What's wrong with that? I own my home, car, work full time, was in a long term relationship. No problems here.

rthomas43 · Answer

Teen pregnancy rates are down and people are having children later and later.

Izzex3 · Answer

Just gunna drop this here

ShaeNielson · Answer

That is not the case everywhere. In my country we are getting older and older when we have our first. The ideal age, I'd say, to have your first is between 28-35.

abundantlyrich · Answer

They never took precautions to prevent it by 100 percent.

Phoenix98 · Answer

People keep having kids younger and younger because the are idiots when it comes to birth control, condones etc. for me the right age would be 24+

thewanderingme · Answer

de-evolution, we're reverting back to our old ways?

bearealist · Answer

Late 20's and so on is a good time frame. Me personally I'm waiting until I finish college.

Anonymous · Answer

I think that you should have kids whenever you feel ready, have the economic stability and someone you love :)

Balcazaurus · Answer

Either by accident or because they want to. There really isn't any other reason that I can see.

Anonymous · Answer

100 years ago 14- 20 was prime marriage age. At that point your body is ready for reproduction. The age has only now increased because responsibility has decreased and judgement of the youth is no longer as sound.

jakeofalltrades · Answer

I blame baby doll toys, they are becoming so realistic that girls think it will be fun to have an actual baby

Why are people having babies younger and younger?

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