When I was technically 19, I fell pregnant with my first child, turned 20 a week later and gave birth at 20, a few months before my 21st. I was told by many people that I was too young to have a baby. Now that I attend Mother's Group, there are women younger than me who have one or two kids. I was on another website the other week when I came across a thread about a woman who was pregnant for the second time at 19, and her first child was born when she was 13, made sure she was there for her son, no matter what and made sure she finished her education. Actually I thought she sounded really mature. But I couldn't help but to think 13? How can a child raise a child? Then I know irresponsible mothers like my half sister, who is 18, had identical twin girls, and every weekend pawns them off to her mother while she goes and gets drunk. And makes me wonder who grew up more? the chick on the website or my half sister? So when is it too young to have a baby? What is the ripe age to breed?
When you're physically, mentally and financially able to support it. If that's 18 for you, great. If you're 35 and can't afford it, then you shouldn't have a kid.
I think it depends on how prepared you are in life. If you have your life altogether, and can take care of the child, then it shouldn't really matter the age, as long as you are responsible with your child. It does have it's limits though. I really don't think anyone who is still in middle/high school should have a child, since I am more than certain a child can complicate things and you really have to mature fast. But sometimes things like this happen, and if she has shown to be a good mother, then it should be fine.
/thread. It's all about whether or not you are able to support a family, not just financially, but mentally. Different for all people.
Todd said it best. When you're mentally able (As in responsible, loving and caring. Properly), Physically (imo, since humans are in their best shape in their 20's.. i'd say 20-30ish), and Financially (To begin, financially independent, though family can help, I wouldn't count on them to pay for your bills still) I'm going to add the fact that you also gotta have a lot of patience and put up with their damn attention needs and weird shit they do love them no matter what. As long as you're loving to them (as earlier, responsible, loving and caring) they'll more than likely turn out alright. If you don't give your child the love and attention they need growing up, it doesn't matter a whole lot how well off you are physically for Financially.
If you're living at home with your parents/are unemployed/can't support yourself let alone a child/are living off the government's dime you should not be bringing a child into the world.
^ Actually I was all above. But I moved out, found a decent man who wanted me and the baby, got a job, got another home. A few older LPAers would remember those pages of conversation at the GSYWTLO thread.
Im 24 and my boy is 2 1/2 Being a father was the best thing to happen to me. i got my shit together real quick, i cant say the same for his mother
^ This. Unless you go ahead and have a baby and, then, your situation immediately changes so as to be able to support your child in all necessary areas. :" But I don't think you can really count on that kind of luck ...
It's been said, but yes - when the parent-to-be is totally prepared to support the child. Obviously when you have a child it also limits you in terms of things you could do (travelling the world for months/years at a time comes to mind), basically the things that young people do when they first leave school, discover themselves and their place in the world. If you have a child without having your chance at total freedom to be young, you may regret it later in life.
Yeah can't say anything that hasn't been said already. If you are mentally and financially there then produce away
Hard to say. Conventionally, and preferably, I'd say 24 is the appropriate time to have a baby, in my point of view. 18 and under, I'll consider much too young.