Choosing Children

[frugalmomof1]

DH and I were together for 5 years before we were married, and married for 5 years before we planned to have DS when I was 29 and DH was 34. I will be 31 (DH-36) when I have #2 in October (also planned). This will probably be it for us, but I will leave my options open.

[savvy06]

We both had very good savings and we both agreed on having two kids and me being a SAHM.

[JanH]

Both our kids were planned. We waited until out of college and Hubby into a good job. The not planned part was money. We thought we were making a ton compared to college working! But except for medical bills because DS was sick a lot, we didn't spend a lot on the kids. I did get a kick out of cute clothes for them, but didn't spend a lot on them. All that didn't come until later.....We were pretty young, mid twenties. We actually wanted at least one more, but wasn't able to have another one.

[tabbycat31]

not married, I turn 27 next week, no kids. I'm hoping to start in my early 30s.

My mother was 30 when I was born (I'm the oldest). She was married for 9 years.

[Jacklad]

am i the only one with an unplanned child? LOL well not truly unplanned as we were well aware it could happen and were not unhappy that it did ;-)

we had our first child when we were young and poor but we always supported him ourselves and got by just fine,he does not even remember the poor years and it probably saved us a ton of money

Our eldest wasn't "unplanned", but his arrival was unexpectedly early. We'd been going together for two years and engaged for one - when our little surprise made himself known we sat down and looked at our plan (which was to marry two years down the line). We decided to stick with our original timeline, and our oldest son attended our wedding.

We've now been a couple for twenty five years, married for twenty one, and oldest will be twenty three in June. As the oldest had been a double birth control failure, we had switched to natural family planning, so the other two were no surprise at all. Second son arrived nine months and two days after the wedding (two and a half years after oldest), and daughter came along two and a half years after that. We were planning on a fourth, but had a house fire instead. That wiped us out financially for a time, and we weren't prepared to add to the fiscal stress.

We also chose to have our children young - I'm 46 with a 22, 20 and 17 year old; had the family complete before I was 30. Within the next three years, they will all be gone - while we're young enough (and financially secure enough) to enjoy our freedom. I don't regret a moment - the benefit of going through the lean times when the kids were small is that their needs were small, too. As long as they had a roof over their heads, food in their bellies and parents who loved them, they were convinced we were rich. Those were the days when a 69 cent dinky car was a treasure - and probably generated both more happiness and gratitude than their expensive electronics do today.

We have friends our age who have little children - under five! Wouldn't trade places with them for the world (I don't have the energy, for one thing). But everyone has to decide for themselves when they're ready. I'd love to be a young grandma (or at least young enough to roughhouse with the sprats), but that's a decision for my kids to make. I refuse to be one of those people nagging for grandkids. (laugh)

Jackie

[LivingAlmostLarge]

My 47 year old neighbor has a 2 year old surprise. She also has a 17 and 15 year old. Guess life isn't planned, thought it was menopause.