After nearly ten years of marriage, the wife and I had our first kid about five months ago. We're in our early thirties. We waited a long time because we wanted to get financially secure and to be able to provide a stable life for our family. We worked hard and saved - we didn't live it up or party or anything. We thought we were being responsible. But now that we have our baby boy, all I can think is that we made a big mistake waiting so long.

The other thing I've noticed is that having a kid has changed my perspective on politics. It started happening while my wife was pregnant. I used to be very apathetic. I was fairly conservative but mostly didn't worry about politics.

Having a child has put the events of the last year in a much more intense focus. I used to view things like I was sort of removed from them, but now I can't avoid confronting the issues that are going to affect my son's future. I definitely regret my old way of looking at things, and I see it now for what it was - a self centered attitude.

Mcclure: I am so happy for you and your new perspective on life!
May happiness and wellness be abundant in your new "life".
The VarmintWife and I also waited some time to burst forth with our VarmintChildren. This has worked out so well.
After the births of our children the VarmintWife came up with this saying (that she may or may not have plagiarized?) which she often repeated.
And that saying was/is: "having children filled a place in my heart I did not know was empty"!
I have to agree with her.
Again the best to you and your'n.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Agreed, but your "old way of looking at things" may have been more naïve than self centered. A self centered person would not have changed, nor would he have saved and sacrificed for the future.
Thanks for waking up and joining the fight for the future. And congratulations for the child. He is lucky to have parents who decided to prepare.

Congrats!

If people all waited for finances to make sense to have kids - we'd have never made it as a species.

My son turned 21 last week. I was 22 when I had him. My dad was 23 when he had me.

Going early means a lot of sacrifices. I never had wild 20's or even 30's. BUT - I get to do adult things with my adult children. If we wanted to go elk hunting next year - he's not trying to figure out how to drag me up a mountain in a wheel chair because I'm pushing 60 (calm your tits - it's hyperbole but on average, people are in better physical condition in 40's vs 60's)

Wait till you're on your third one.

You've grown up Grasshopper...........

If you're a good person and you want to be a better person having a kid changes everything and I mean everything. Congratulations you have become a Man.

Good man, mcclure.

Way to go.

When i found out the wife was pregnant i made the choice to quit drinking.

That was 40 years ago and holding.

Once again Way to go.

Getting them up and out changes your perspective also.

You sound like a pussy.

Lol

We had dinner with “both” our kids at the same time. First time in over a year all of us were together. We waited till we were 28 years old. Good decision on our part. Our kids are 41 and 40 now.

Mid 30's before birthing, and glad we did it that way. Few if any worries and for sure no financial struggles at all. Only change I noticed as a parent was I took fewer risks.

lol thanks

I was largely the same. My parents got a really early start on life so I was determined to go the opposite direction. Had my first at 35 and I'm glad I waited. Parenting is easier when you have less too worry about, including money, I think the added patience and understanding of being older helped a lot too. There are some downsides, like when i went to pick up my younger one from kindergarten and another kid told him his grandpa was there.

I remember those days, back when we actually HAD to eat deer meat.


Life is good now, saw the antlers off and toss em in a ditch

Haha, you say that get folks fired up. We have seen your processing room. That's hilarious, nice work.

For some reason an angel found and saved me at 28. Our last child was born when I was 40 and my wife was 38. I'm sure glad she waited on me. Our neighbors are the same age as us and have great grandchildren.
Glad to see you had the chance to man up and be blessed with a child.

Our daughter came along when I was 20. Had 2 boys not long after. By the time I was 25 I got a vasectomy. Life is different the day you leave the hospital with another human being you didn't show up with. Congrats. Godbless