Myth: Older moms risk not being around for their kids long term
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On the other hand, Gregory notes, there are no guarantees at any age. And research suggests mothers who choose to delay childbirth actually live longer than other mothers, on average. That may be due to greater physical vitality, better access to health care or perhaps a will to stick around to see their children through. An article in the March 2005 issue of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior found that women who gave birth in their 40s are four times as likely to live to 100 as women who did not.
Also, this article makes way too many general assumptions.
People I know who're waiting to have children have already made clear that they're in "neither the time nor the place" to do it, indicating the condition of the American educational system as well as the cost of living are the two biggest factors (for them).
For me? I wouldn't have a child in America at this moment, period. Canada, maybe. Europe, more likely. But this is not the world I'd leave to my children or, more importantly, leave my children to.
My father died before I was two, and we were very poor. My mom was so worn out from working and taking care of young kids in her fifties that I never really had a hands-on mom. And she never got a chance to enjoy her golden years.
In school, everyone thought my mom was my grandmother. She was by far the oldest mother of all my peers.
Having older parents sucks. It's not fair to the parents or to the child.
So...by the time I turned 21 & got married I said "been there, done that" as far as having babies right away goes. I waited 14 years before having my first child at age 36 and my second at age 39. Before I had kids I finished college and got a good-paying job that I knew I could take maternity leave from & still have it when I got back. My husband & I saved up & bought a new home, traveled to Europe and did the things my parents couldn't because they were saddled with 6 kids. When I had my kids, I was ready and we both wanted them. I was lucky enough to get pregnant within 3 months of trying for both kids. We've enjoyed being parents and having the means to provide things my husband & I never had as kids - our kids did dance, hockey, music, etc. We've had wonderful family vacations. We can afford steak once or twice a week. Our kids were able to BE kids, without the difficult responsibilities I had. I truly think I've had more fun being a mom than my poor mother did.
The only regret is that I am older & if my kids wait as long as I did, then yes, I'll be a really old grandma. My husband's mom had him (the youngest of 7 kids) when she was 42. She lived long enough for my kids to know & love her, but when she came to "help me" after the birth of my daughter, it was more work for me having her around since she was 82 (of course I never let her know that).
All in all, I wish more people would take the time to be prepared to be parents - get schooling done, get decent jobs, save up some money, do stuff together as a couple first, THEN have kids. By then you'll be ready to be the parents all kids need (and so many lower-income kids don't have).