What is it like having parents who are older than the average parent?

Sam: What is it like having parents who are older than the average parent?
And before you start typing in your smart remarks, I know that parents can’t be younger than their kids. This is a serious question, so please go play somewhere else if you don’t have anything intelligent to contribute. I want to know what it is like for kids who have older parents. I am 49 with two adult sons, ages 26 and 23. But I also have a daughter who is 18 months old. I will be 65 when she graduates from high school. I would like to hear the pros and cons of the age distance from kids with older parents. This is important to me. Thanks for your serious input.

Answers and Views:

Answer by miss.china.doll.
I’m 18 and my father is in his 60’s. He’s very old fashioned and very strict. A simple hug from a male friend made him tell me, “What are you doing? Putting on a free show for our neighbors?”

I was hurt and insulted by that…it really was just a hug and I wasn’t hugging the guy back. Just be a little lenient on your daughter.

Answer by ChristinaRocks
my “mom” is 56 years older than me and she is so much nicer than a younger one she gives me soo much more advice than i no my actual mom my biological mom was 12 years older than me so i got adopted my my new mom she rocks so much

Answer by [email protected]
I was the only child of a second set of kids by the same parents. I can really only say good things.My father had made it- there was nothing for him to prove, so he really spent time w/ me that my older siblings missed out on.My parents had more patience, more money, more time, and I got the benefit of that. My only regret was that I was 28 when they died & my children will never know these fantastic people.

Answer by wonderingcreativity
my mom is 35 but my dad is 59. I’m 13, one sister is 7, (both of us are his) and my half sister is 5 1/2 months (she is not my dads, they are divorced). My dad will be 64 when i graduate, 71 when the seven year old graduates, and 77 when the five 1/2 months graduates. My friends often say stuff about how weird it is for my dad to be so much older then me and my mom. This on guy said “Oh God, she likes having old things stuck in her!” i kicked that guy where it hurts. His health does worry me a lot though, because he likes to play outdoors games with us. When i was 5 or 4, he broke his ribs, a few months ago he got some kind of shoulder fraction and still has it, once in a while he’ll start coughing really bad because he smokes and drinks beer. It worries me alot, because if something happens to him, my seven year old sister will fall apart and so will I. If he passes away now, i don’t know what would happen to me and my two little sisters because my mom works nights ( ( 10:00 p.m. – 7:30 a.m. ) and she is not married or dating right know. This worries me alot and my dad gets upset alot over how i’m acting like a mother to much (cleaning the house, cooking, worrying, etc. ) The age thing bothers me, but i think my dad having me when he was in his late 40’s made him a better father. to me and both of my little sisters. When my mom is working at nights, me, my 7 year old sister, and my dad watch the 5 1/2 month old for my mom, also.

Answer by rockchick13
I’m 23, but when my best friend and I were in 8th grade, her mom had a son. During that time, she felt a little jealous of the baby because until then, she had been the youngest. Also, her mom made some decisions that were very different for her boy than the way she raised the girls. Like now, you may have more money to spend on your child than you did with your sons. That’s okay and it makes it easier that they were boys and your new one is a girl!

My friend still watches her little brother, but I think she still feels a little neglected. I think maybe it’s best to make sure that you don’t treat your other children like they don’t matter, or that the newborn is more important. Make time for all of your children, (Newborns obviously need a little more time with mommy than does a 23 year old!)

If my mom was pregnant, I would be happy and excited for her, but hey, she’s my mommy too! Actullly, that would be cool because my husband and I are going to try for children in a little while, so they could play together. Your sons are old enough to talk to you about it if they need to, just keep open communication with them and make sure they get involved with they little one’s life! Good luck and I hope this helped a little!

Oh, and also, not saying that you’re old, or out-of-touch, but the world is a very different place now that when your sons were little or when you were little. Be careful not to be too strick, but be aware, things happen to girls at younger and younger ages. I’m sure it will be fine, but always remember that the world changes a lot in 20 years!

Answer by Dr. puttockc
my father is in his mid 50’s and I am 16
Honestly it is hard because he has entered into the stage that he thinks he has lived long enough to know better, but he is not the brightest

Basically the older you are versus your daughter the bigger the culture shock will be
but you can look at it as her brothers can help
nothing like chasing away a No good Boyfriend when you are 60 lol

Answer by tllbrntte
Well, I came from a big family and I was the ninth out of ten kids. I never noticed really that they were that much older than other parents until my teens, even then it never bothered me. I had a wonderful relationship with my dad all my life. My mom and I had a little harder time, but I am alot like her. And Dad was 64 when I graduated. Just remember love the little one for who she is, who she is to become… you and she will be fine.