I’m 34 and had my first child at 27 and second aged 30. I haven’t got a big group of friends but let’s say the 10 core friends I have, only 2 have children and we’re all similar ages. The majority of my friends don’t have children.
At work, I find it’s a similar trend. The only people I can bitch and moan about nursery fees are those people in their 40s. All the other people my age in my department, bar 2, don’t have any children.
30 comments
People are still having kids? That’s so 2010.
We had our one and only in 2001 and were both 30 at the time. One example for this scientific study.
Yes, it take longer to settle down these days. More people go to Uni, it takes longer to get on the property ladder and takes longer to meet people.
Often you’re 30 before things start to land in place.
I had one at 27 and that’s enough,they are a massive financial commitment,I love my son dearly and sometimes feel guilty he doesn’t have a sibling as me and my partner both have 2+ but I simply wouldn’t be able to afford another child.
I’d only recently moved in with my partner at 30, and we were sharing a tiny one bedroom flat. Children just weren’t an option at that point.
I had my first kid at 37… just couldn’t have afforded it and been comfortable money-wise before that point.
Yes of my 10-15 friends no one married before 30 and kids followed. A by product of this we often speak about is we should see less divorced parents. People are taking longer to meet the right person, spending more time working out the type of person who is compatible. Time will tell!
[deleted]
Married last month, bought our house 3 years ago. I’m 30 and wife is 31… We are in no rush.
My core group of friends are about 3+ years older than me and they have just all started having kids.
Yes, the average age of having a first child has gone from just under 24 in the early 70s to just under 30 now.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/294594/mother-average-age-at-childbirth-england-and-wales-by-child-number/
Yes, becasue it takes alot longer to get settled in somewhere to have kids than it used to.
Nowadays most people are only starting to buy places in their mid to late 20s, and even then just a flat. By that age 20 or 30 years ago you would have a 3 bed house and be able to afford it all on one wage so could have kids.
I’m 29. At my age my mum was pregnant with her 4th kid.
I have none and would love to have 2-3 but realistically I don’t think we’d afford to and housing/childcare will be a huge barrier. We’re paying through the nose for a 2 bed flat so won’t have space for any more than 1 for the foreseeable.
I had my first (and so far only) child when wife and I were both 33. We’re 37 now. I wish I had been five years younger.
But by the time we felt we were earning enough to raise a child without compromising our basic lifestyle, it took till 31 or 32!
This may shock you, but plenty of people choose not to have children at all.
I wasn’t broody until I was 26 and I definitely didn’t want children before that. I just didn’t feel the urge (it wasn’t a career choice).
50.1% of women are childless at 30 now, which is the highest percentage its ever been, so yes.
A lot of people I know haven’t been having kids until their early to mid 30s.
I think as life expectancy is longer these days, it only seems normal to have kids later and even retire later. Not that people wanna hear that.
My younger brothers became fathers in their 40s. That made me a fucking old uncle!
Yes we can’t afford kids and lots of us don’t want them
I’m 50 and had my first (and probably only) child at 48.
I can’t see much of a future for kids these days. The world seems to be getting worse so no, I won’t be having them, couldn’t afford them anyway and I’ll enjoy the little disposable income I do have.
I am 32 and only just getting to a fit financial state to have kids…
My wife and I are early 30s with a 4 year old. Most of the parents in her class are at least late 30s/early 40s
back in the big city i used to live in, everyone i knew planned to have kids in their late 20s/early 30s, when they had enough money, or never. i knew literally no one with a child who wasn’t well into their 20s.
moved to a suburban poorer area and there’s babies/teen moms everywhere 🤷♂️
i reckon it depends on your social circle and where you live.
I’m 35, out of 10 friends (all the same age) one had the first baby out of all of us a few months ago. Only one other friend has shown any interest in having kids, but doesn’t think they can afford it. We’re all working professionals and most of us can’t even afford to buy a house.
It depends of whether they go to uni. All my friends who went to uni have yet to have children but all the ones who didn’t go had kids in their 20s
I became a dad at 39 on my first and 42 on my second, I’m actually quite relieved that I’m a older dad as I’m more financially stable yet still fit and able enough to be fun..
My mum had me at 21. She was married to my dad and they owned a house at the time, so they were in a comfortable position to have children. I’m 31, renting, and don’t earn a great amount. Even if I wanted to have kids, I just don’t feel like I’m in a position to be able to give them the life I’d want them to have.
I do think people are waiting to have kids how as it just takes longer to settle now.
I had my first at 34 and second at 37, just didn’t want them any earlier. I travelled, partied and had a great career.
1) Work – trying to get further in their career
2) Cost
3) Also seeing someone with kids can put you off them – I know I certainly have
4) Not everyone wants kids and thats fine