Marriage and child is no longer feasible [ranty]

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I've given up on parenting due to my age.

I spent the last couple of days hiking around steep mountainsides with my sons. I'm 55, they're 10 and 11. This "too old for fatherhood" talk is nonsense, at least in your 50s. You may be too sick, too lazy, too unprepared, or just unwilling. .. but that's true at any age. Age alone is not a reason.

Last edited by Benjamin the Donkey on 08 Apr 2019, 7:17 am, edited 1 time in total.

It felt weird reading this as a 19 year old with a 60 year old father. My mum is 58. Personally, I don't think this is unfair. I know that the age of people's parents can vary greatly, a few people I know have grandparents that are the same age as my parents. Others have parents the same age. Most seem to have 40-45 year old parents.

Despite their age, they've always been able to keep up with me. Which isn't too surprising, considering that they are big health fanatics. Especially my dad, whenever he says that he's going for a short walk, what he actually means is I'm going for a long trek through the countryside. Trust me, I've been on these short walks with him and they almost always take the entire day. My mother is also active, she goes to the gym and lots of dance lessons.

What do you think of this video?

In New York City, you see people with gray hair pushing strollers all the time. They are the parents of kids (I know...because I've asked).

Good for you, but beyond 60 a human is more likely to decline in health....suddenly....like one may be fully functional at age 55 but at age 59-60 one may get something like Alzheimer and in 2 years forward he or she will become barely functional.
Or something even faster like a spinal disc problem or bone fracture which may render one physically limited.

Also...it is kinda nice for kids to remember their grandparents.... grandparents have their own charm and memories that provide different/warmth experience than parents, at least in my opinion.

Last edited by The_Face_of_Boo on 08 Apr 2019, 7:29 am, edited 1 time in total.

That's not the kind of thing one says to old people---even if it's true.

It's true that people "decline" physically-----but rarely do they decline mentally.

Like I said, I see people in their 50's or even 60's strolling little kids around----and even sometimes running with them.

It's the second time today I've read on here that I seem to be hurtling rapidly towards death. Keep up the good work, guys.

You know all this "decline with age" crap is just that...crap!

I've declined physically (slightly) since I was 50. But I've kept my mental powers pretty much where they were at 50.

You haven't said whether you want kids.

You might not be talking to me....but I'm ambivalent about them, really.

I don't want the responsibility---but I do want to raise a kid, and know that I successfully raised the kid.

I feel that raising a kid is sort of "our job" as people. But I'm not extreme in that view.

Actually, where I live, grandparents are VERY important in child upbringing, all the two-working couples I know rely heavily on the grandparents to take care of their toddlers while their both parents are away at work (no one trusts babysitters), at least in summer times and all seasons before the kid reaches the kindergarten age.

I remember I spent a lot of time at grandparents from age 3 till age 7.

My Dad's another gym lover (11 x a week) he has his gym's record for the plank, and he's 77. You're ok for a bit yet.

Grandparents are pretty important in American culture, too. Especially in "poorer" communities.

Many times, they serve as parents to both the parent of a kid, and the kid him/herself.

Last edited by kraftiekortie on 08 Apr 2019, 7:43 am, edited 1 time in total.

I meant Boo, but I your point.

Mine gave me alcohol

Yeah....they do tend to spoil you, and to allow you to get away with things you can't get away with with your parents.