How old were you when you became a parent?

Would you have waited longer, had it sooner or was it the perfect time?How old were you when you became a parent?
Almost 23...I had Ty at the perfect time, had a nice home and a College Degree, I was established financially and emotionally.How old were you when you became a parent?
I'm an 18 year old Mommy to my 2 month old son, Quentin. Most women my age tend to wait longer before having their first child, but this was the perfect time for me. My pregnancy was not planned, but my son was wanted very much and by having him at my age, I am able to interact with him more than women who are having their first child in their 30's. As he grows up I will also be able to relate to him more and understand him better because not there is not as big of an age difference between the two of us.
23. It was perfect for us (= My husband and I got married at 18 when we were still in school together (which I don't recommend to anyone else, but worked well for us, foolhardy as it was when we were teens, LOL) so we did have 6 (5 married, 1 dating) years just to ourselves before having children. That was really valuable, I think. We needed to know each other and see each other through changes, hardship and everything else in life and realise that we still loved each other through it, before it was a good time to have children together. Some people who have kids so early in their marriage or relationship, I think just don't realise how much it tests that relationship, and don't have as solid of a foundation to begin with than if they'd gotten to know each other and pushed limits before having kids. I'm really glad we did wait, that we did go through trials together and got to truly know each other before being parents.





We were both finished university, had a flat in a secure place and secure income, and had most of the crazies out of our system. Will was planned and he was the best thing that ever happened to us at the time (= In fact, parenting suited us so well that we now have a large family, and our kids are the light of our lives.
I was pregnant at 14 and had my daughter a month after my 15th birthday. Yes I would have waited longer, I would have liked to have been in a relationship and atleast in my mid 20's but I was blessed with my angel at 14 and I decided to keep her, being raped at such a young age for me was very difficult but I got the best gift ever. My daughter.
I was a few days short of turning 20 when I gave birth.





Your latter is a trickier question. Because if I could rewind time and change things, would I? No. But do I think the age of 20 was the ideal time in my life to have a child? No. My pregnancy was accidental, and I would never have chosen to have a child that early and in those circumstances (single, just on way to university, etc.). Thing is I was on a really bad road before I fell pregnant, I took drugs, partied all the time, dropped out of everything I did. I was enrolled to start uni later that year but I have no doubt in my mind that I wouldn't have lasted, I was too immature and irresponsible. So in that sense, the timing was perfect, having my son may even have saved my life considering I was depressed, suicidal and regularly taking dangerously high doses of cocaine and ecstasy. I grew up virtually overnight and now I can't believe that I'm the same person as who I was back then (and my son is only 18 months old now). AND I have coped with parenthood just fine so far, I'm not struggling, and I am happy. But am I as comfortable as I would be if I'd had him ten years down the line with a husband and a mortgage? Of course not. I'm living with my dad currently, but will be moving out soon, and when I do move we're going to be in a pokey little place until I've finished my degree (which I'm studying from home). And that's far from ideal. But my son has a lot of 'stuff', he has plenty of toys (all bought by me), plenty of clothes (all bought by me), a nice pushchair, cot and so on (all bought by me), food in the cupboard (bought by me), and a very healthy savings account (being built up by me). It's really me that lacks the luxuries, but that I can cope with. So having him when I did wasn't the end of the world, I suppose, he my financial situation doesn't rub off on him and that's the main thing, I am a good mother to him despite my lack of maturity that older parents would possess, the only real thing that he has lost out on is a father figure, because his didn't stick around. But that could have happened at any time, I suppose. But given the choice, before getting pregnant, ';Have a baby now, or in ten years?'; - I would have picked the latter. But as I said, I would not change things now for all the money in the world.





(Woah I did NOT realise how much I'd written until I posted it! Sorry about that! I do tend to ramble!)
34. Ideally, i would have loved to have started sooner, but it wasn't meant to be. 6 years ago, i'd only just met my husband, and we wanted to be alone together for a while before starting a family. Then i suffered 2 miscarriages with him, and needed time to heal before plucking up the courage to try again. I do wish i hadn't needed so much time though, as i feel i've deprived my hubby and i of so much joy..
I am twenty nine, and had my first child at sixteen. I am very happy i had my, now thirteen years old, daughter. She is beautiful. But if i could change anything, which i can't, then i would've waited till i was older. I got drunk, and didn't take my pill, and there you go.





Second child, was planned. I was twenty one, perfect timing. I'd got married a year before that. It brought me and my husband.. very much ';closer'; :)





Third child, accident, but i wasn't upset. She's on her way now, and i'm seven months! Perfect timing. Came off pill because i had to get off every pill for a certain dental medication i was given, and ta da, i fell pregnant. No regrets, though.
I was 24 when I had my first child and for me it was perfect. I had a lot of experience with children before I got married (I have 9 nieces/nephews), my husband is a bit older then me so he didn't want to wait too long, but I wouldn't change it for anything!! I love being young enough to run around with him and now that we have our second child I feel that I am able to give them more of me then what I could if I was older
ill be 20 when i have my baby boy. i wish i would have been more careful because i wanted to be done with college and have a career and a beautiful house and i wish i would have been marry first but i am happy and i do plan on staying in school and me and my fiancee are gonna be getting marry next July. our baby would be around 10 months and we do plan on getting a house but that wont happen for another couple of years.
i am 20, and will turn 21 2 months after my baby is due. i think it is the perfect age for me to have a baby. i wont miss going out for drinks, going out with mates etc.. because its something that i have never done really. i have been with my fiance for 3 years, and have become the mature 'house wife' so to speak, whilst all my friends continued their 'partying days'. i would prefer my life over theirs anyday and cannot wait to be a family.
I got pregnant at 18 and would have had her after my 19th birthday but she was born premature and came 1 week before my 19th birthday.





I never partied or anything like that so I didn't really have ';to give up'; anything. I still get to do the same things I love doing before I was pregnant with her.





I probably would have wanted to wait a few years though but I'm not regretting her, she's the best thing that has happened to me, that and her wonderful daddy(my fiance).
I'll be 20. I would have waited longer. I wanted to buy a house first, have the money to go insane on a nursery, be finished school and start my career.





But, I'm happy right now. We live in an apartment and I'll be going back to school in January to work towards my BN. It'll be hard, but 4-5 years isn't that long if you think of the possibilities ahead. :)
i was 20, got pregnant at 19 she was planned and i was even told i couldnt have kids but i was very forunate to get pregnant naturally. it was the perfect timing for us we were both ready and i dont regret a thing about it, my daughter is almost 6 months now and i wouldnt change her for the world.
i had just turned 18 when i got pregnant and had him 2 months before i turned 19...at times (when my friends were partying) i did wish i would have waited but i am very happy that i didnt. he is 7 now and is a big help with his little brother. i dont like that there is such a big gap between them but hey i love them none the less!
i fell pregnant at 16.. had my son at 17.. i was very young and didnt knw what i was letting myself in for. however, i would not wish my life to be any different.


Dont get me wrong there are times i think mmm if things where different i could be at or finished uni by now.. but when i found out i was pregnant i put my life on hold... and worked in order to provde for my son.





my son will start primary school in august, i will work for another 1-2 yrs and then consider going back into education
My first daughter was born when I was 28 my second when I was 31 perfect for me because I was a partier before and wanted to live it up and be irresponsible in my twenties.I gave my self time to grow up a bit and settle down with a man i knew was gonna stick around and be a good father.
i was 18 sometimes i wish i waited. u know wait until i had a job choice so i wouldn't b struggling so much. im sceard to even buy him socks im afraid i wont have money for food and what not. (unlike most teen parents i didn't have my mommy or daddy help me) but my son is amazing he can always make me happy and i am very proud of him even tho he hasn't even done anything yet lol
I just became a parent one month ago exactly and I am 25 years old, will be 26 in August.





I think that this was the perfect time in my life, everything else may not be perfect timing but my son being here has definitely been a blessing so far.
I was 24 when I had my first child and 28 when I had my second child. I think it was the perfect time for me as I don't think I could have coped much younger. Having a child made me really grow up.





In relation to my children (aged 14 and 10), I'm not an ';old'; mum, yet I'm not a ';young'; mum.
i was 15 when i fell pregers but 16 when i had my first son but i was raped but i wouldnt change him for the world i love him to bit as all my kids i would of waited till i was older but never turned out that way n now im the proud mum of five love them all to bits
i was 22 and it was a total surprise but i wouldnt change it for the world, cause now im to old and wouldnt be able to keep up. i think the perfect ages to get pregnant are between 22 and 30, before that your to young and after that your to old.
hello





im 21 on thursday and i am 23 weeks with my first!!





i always wanted to be a young mum so that i could do what i wanted when baby had grown up i wanted to be in my 40s!!





im pleased with my choice and wouldbnt change a thing!!!
i was 18 when i got pregnant with my son and 19 when i had him. i sometimes wish i would have waited until i was a little older but then i look at him and my daughter and know why i did it and i wouldn't change it for the world.
got preg 17 had her at 18.. i don't regret it at all but i should have waited.. you miss out on a lot of things that i will never be able to do. but shes the best thing that ever happened to me and i wouldnt change it.
im not a mum yet but im due on new years day and im 20. i turn 21 in january. i dont think i could had done it at a younger age but i think that my timing is perfect. i know i am ready now :) x
25. We were going to start trying at the end of the year but our little man decided he wanted tp surprise us early. No time it the ';perfect'; time to have a child.
I became pregnant at 19. I got married in 01/08 and became pregnant in 05/08! She was planned! =] She is the best thing that has ever happened to my husband and I! We couldn't be happier!
I was 30, it was two years after we were married. It was the perfect time because I got two degrees, was out in the workforce, and met The Man when I was 26 - so glad I waited for him!
i fell pregnant at 17 but had my lil girl 3.48am day after my 18th birthday i wouldnt change anything im so happy with my life and i can watch my lil girl grow up while being young enough to run around with her and after her
I was 28 - I couldn't have coped at an ealier age and glad I wasn't too much older because I still have energy for my son, so guess it was a ';perfect'; age for me :)
I was 27 when I got pregnant. It was a good time for me because it was important for me to wait until I was married. I got married when I was 26.