How Young is "Young"

[Shae]

This got me thinking the other day.

I am 25, and getting ready to TTC. Is this considered 'young' still?

I have a friend at work who was telling me on Monday about going to the pub on the weekend, drinking too much, and flirting with 3 different men all of whom are really interested in her. I was listening to her talk thinking how well I remember the 'old days' and then I realised; this girl is 24 years old! That is only 12 months younger than me!!

I didn't know whether to feel really old, or really young

Anyone else sometimes have a moment like that?

[Rouge]

OH GOD YES! lol!!!! I feel like this all the time, not only when I see other people my age going crazy, all my friends who were older than me still haven't had kids and are still partying. And I'm pg with my 2nd and my first is 4! I feel old all the time LOL! And at the same time feel younger than other mums its very strange let me tell you!

Oh and I'm 25 too

*hugs*
Cailin

[Melinda]

I think it all depends on the individual and their own life experiences and level of maturity. It depends on your relationship and what you want out of life together......

So I think that 25 is not too young if you both know what you want and have taken everything into consideration!

I know that I wanted to have our family started by the time I was 25. As it turned out, other things got in the way of that and our first was born when I was 27. Compared to friends that we have, I feel VERY old LOL! They are still out partying and that kind of thing! I feel like an old Nanna at times! But I'm happy with the decisions that we've made and trust that they are too IYKWIM?

[Antheia]

To me that's old lol. I mean i am 19 and already have a 1 year old and suffered 2 m/c. Even though DD was unplanned, the other two were planned.

I agree with Melinda that it depends on the person. To me, i don't feel like i'm missing out on anything. I'm ready for a family and love being a young mum.

[wattle]

Shae IKWYM. I get this exact feeling often! For a variety of reasons most of my/our friends are in their 30's and settled down comfortably with a few kids. That's just our lifestyle, so I get that funny feeling when talking to other friends who are still out there partying while Im remembering the 'good/bad old days' and then realising that these friends are your own age and sometimes older.

So yep sometimes I feel really old and other times I feel really young. It's a wierd place to be.

As for TTC it is one of those big life/lifestyle choices and I agree entirely with Melinda!

[Pietta]

My little munchkin is 15 months and when i see him playing and growing i feel old then!!

But i am the only one with children so I feel old sometimes but othertimes when i am out partying i still feel young. I think if you are ready for children you can make time to still be hanging with the partyerts!!

[cazoraz]

I think it totally depends on the individual, not their age.

My SIL is only just starting to TTC now she is almost 31, they spent years travelling and working overseas first as thats what they wanted. i think they were a bit confused when DH and I decided to start our family a little earlier than them (I had my first child when 22 and second bubs at 24). But we didnt want to go travelling, we already had bought a house and were over the whole nightclubbing phase and wanted to settle down to start our family.

So dont listen to other people when they tell you you're 'too young' cos it just means they wouldn't be ready at that age, but it doesnt mean that you're not.

xxxCaz

[naomi54]

I agree with everyone in here.
Im the only one in my family who hasnt had kids yet Im 23, most people in my family had kids before they were 21 and most of my friends have kids they are all 23 or younger.
So yes i feel old sometimes, but im happy with the wasy things have turned out, my DP makes me feel young again so it balances out in the end. \/

[lucysmummie]

Im 21 and Dh is 22 the way we look at it is the fact we have our own house and are married and cant afford to travel yet so we will have kids now and when they are old enough we will ALL travel together!

we both have trades so I think its abit easier and the fact we have both been working Full time since we were 16 makes a big difference, you grow up when you start working and some 21 year olds act like they are still 17 and some 21 yr olds like us act like we are 30 something? all our friends have babies and they range form ages 24 right through to 31 so its not like we hang out with our 21 yr old partying friends, they envy our life any way...

hope it helps.....o and a little bit of advise? try not be the satatus quo anyway! BE different!

[cazoraz]

the way we look at it is the fact we have our own house and are married and cant afford to travel yet so we will have kids now and when they are old enough we will ALL travel together!

Same with us! We bought our house when I was 21, had our first baby at 22. We plan to travel overseas once the kids are around 10 so I will only be early 30's YAY!

xxxCaz

[lucysmummie]

that sounds great! that way we will probaley have MORE $$$ and will apreciate it more!

[Adnil]

Well I'm 25 and DH is 40 - so I wonder where that leaves us? We as a couple could probably be considered either!!! LOL

[Danni]

Hey Guys,
im 20 and DH is 22

I see it very similar to Sinee does.
We have our own house and travelling is expensive and doesnt interest us entirally so we cant wait to start our family now and travel later!!

We've been ttc for 15 months now..fingers crossed i can get a BFP for xmas!

[*TamaraP*]

I have been working since I was 17 and have been with DH since I was also 17. We got married this year and we are now 22 and 23.

People always say to me...god you are young travel live life. But that isn't us.

We have a house, a hopefully a baby one day soon. We are happy with the life we have chosen. I would prefer to spend my time young and in love and then travel as I get older so I understand the history of travelling.

I know of young people my age who travel just to get drunk. I don't want that.

And because I am so different from my friends, we don't see eachother anymore. They think I am old fashioned. But I grew up a long time ago.

[Danni]

wow we sound so alike!!

i find it very hard to keep in contact with my high school friends cos they are on such a different wave length to us.

They are sleeping around...partying..drinking...and have no views on changing any of that any time soon.

I grew up a long time ago aswell and they call me "old wifie" and yes they think im old fashioned too.

i believe i know what i want..and i have found my place in this world.
i dont have any regrets at all and i cannot wait to start a family young so i can grpw up with my kids...and atleast then when i am in my 40's, my life can begin again with my kids being adults

[Belinda1]

I married at 18 and had my first baby at 20. I have always looked young for my age and I've had a lot of negative comments from people who really don't know what they're talking about. I am now 26, my Husband and I have 2 children and are expecting twins (12 weeks along at the moment). I still get funny looks and people asking me how old I am. I truly believe that only you know what is best for your life and although it's good to listen to other people's advice, you're the best judge of what is right for you. I used to make the mistake of giving too much importance to other people's views/opinions because I thought they probably knew more than I did. Now I realise that they didn't, and only I know what will make me happy. I don't think you can be too young or too old, as long as you are in a position to care for the child and as long as being a parent is what you truly want to do. Good luck.
Belinda.

[taralee]

it's so nice to be reading what i am thinking - but with other people writing it! i'm 22 and we're ttc, i get tired of ppl looking at me like i'm crazy when i mention anything about having a baby. I agree with what someone said before - that when people say you're too young it means they weren't ready to do that at that age. it's true...mind you i though i knew it all at 14 and now i look at 14 year olds and go "what the?!?!?!!??!?!'
I think it doesnt help me being 5 foot tall and looking like a 15 year old - i'd look at me funny too! we have been together almost 8 years are getting married in 3 months and are building a house, i;ve also studied and finished a degree...so i think we're pretty well set up...the child care cost is going to be a killer though any suggestions on that one?

[*Elle*]

Taralee I think you are pretty well on track as you said you have been with bf for 8 yrs have studdied are getting married and building a house if you feel that having a baby is the next step I say go for it.
it sounds to me that you are very mature and know what you want, I had my ds just after turned 22yrs and boy oh boy did he make me grow up ALOT,
sometimes I think I would have liked to travel and party a little more but then I look at him and how happy he makes me everyday and I think that there is no way even if i could go back that I would change it I am now 27 and have a dd aswell and we want ttc #3 soon I love the fact that I am a young mum I think it is really what I was meant to do,
and the way I look at it is that when they are grown ( well sort of )I will be around 40ish and that is so not to old to start travel, career etc and I dont even have to wait that long after all I plan on working when they are all at school.
As far as day care goes I am not so sure about the costs involved as I have never really had my kids in day care but I do know that if you choose family day care it is alot cheaper, you do get a government rebate on childcare but that depends on your income so I sugest maybe looking in to it and researching it a little. :flower: