I have a 14 year old son, and one of my best friends had his first kid last year. I cannot imagine having a baby at 40 years old. The amount of energy and time you need to commit for those first few years is never ending.
I might miss the cuteness and the newness of it all, but having a 14 year old kid to golf with, go to the movies with, go on snowboard trips with, is so much more fun and relaxing. Not to mention the sleep. Sleep became a precious commodity until he was about 4 years old and would sleep through the night without any issues.
Back to the finances topic, my son has friends whose parents aren't divorced and have two incomes. So they have bigger houses, newer cars, nicer clothes, fancier trips etc. And at times I can tell it bothers him a little. But he's actually picking up on things like me having an older car (but no payment), not really eating any fast food these days, fixing things that break, just trying to be smart with my money as that's a requirement when you have one income and have to pay child support.
I also have friends who have kids, and both parents work. But they work a lot. So they may be doing really well in the financials but they're getting burned out and a lot of family time is missed because of the various work requirements. I dont see those friends as much because work is their life.
Where as I may not have fancy stuff, and am usually having to fix something around the house. But I am genuinely happy and satisfied with where I am and how things are. Where I wonder for those who work 60 hour weeks and are on call etc, are they happy? Or are they just in a spot where thats the norm? I really dont know, but its not for me.
Guess it goes back to the old saying, do you work to live? Or live to work?
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