We recently asked older parents of the BuzzFeed Community to tell us the common myths and misconceptions about having kids later in life — and the actual realities of what it's like. Here's what they had to say: 1. "People assume I regret being an older parent and that things just happened this way.
I actually planned to be an older parent from my youth. I knew I didn't want to spend my 20s limiting my options in jobs, vacations, partners, etc., and a baby would be just a burden at that age — at least for me.
I don't judge people who think it's the right time for them, but for me it wasn't." " Right now, I'm exactly where I wanted to be in my younger years. I have a middle management position in an international company, good income, great benefits, work from home, and a 2-year-old.
Sure, I don't have the same energy, but that's also motivated me to better care of my health, which I neglected in my 20s." —Anonymous, Panama 2. "That you will have a wealth of life experience and knowledge to draw from: Whatever I did in the first four decades of my life — including having a previous child — didn't prepare me for having a young son in my forties.
"My beautiful child is unique. My previous experience with other children didn't prepare me for my youngest because he is not like any kid. (Of course, let's state the obvious-no two kids are alike).
" —44, Minnesota 3. "I grew up in a small town where most people marry young and have kids. The biggest misconception was that .