Discussion: Kids & Marriage

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

I'm 26 and married. I've been moving around a lot, and am now living in the 4th or 5th city in as many years and I plan on keeping moving around for at least another 5. We're set on being together w/out kids for a good many years before we have them, and we're set on living in a number of different countries and continents along the way until we decide to have kids. Getting married hasn't slowed my life down at all really. I don't go to bars much anymore, but that's because I'm fairly ambitious in work and also have my graduate studies going at the same time. I married my wife because she is ridiculously awesome and we both want to go have a cool unusual life together. I have a partner in crime and someone to enjoy the journey with.

Hello, is that me? Except the marriage part that is...

All I have to add is my own father was 34 when he had me, and I am the 26-year old oldest of three. He had a really amazing life as a travelling bachelor for many years, especially working in Geophysics in the 70s and 80s. I was actually born in Saudi Arabia. He tells me he just met my Mom out of nowhere in a pub one night in London and then almost overnight his views changed. 25 years later they're still married.

[troutman]

I said this before in another thread:

Each of us are part of an unbroken chain of ancestors, going back millions of years. Every one of our ancestors survived long enough to have children. We honor their struggle to survive by passing on the torch of life. It is a great gift to be alive.

[flamesfever]

I do think that economics is partly responsible for couples having fewer children or no children at all. I read some time ago that it took $150,000. to raise a child to age 18...probably more now.

I came from a time and place where a person, out of high school, could get a lifetime job in a factory, and raise a family, buy a house, and retire comfortably... but things have changed. Now many of the factories are gone, and you have to have much higher education or developed skills to avoid making barely enough to get by.

Coming from a small town, many of us paired up in our teens, got married in our early twenties, and started having kids... often when we least expected. Of course we didn't have the advantage of being able to plan our families in those days.

I was lucky and ended up with a great wife, and three wonderful children. Sure we were somewhat immature when we had them, but I think we all kind of grew up together...and I like to think the added responsibility brought out the best in us...especially my wife when I had to work away from home.