To discuss the societal impacts of older parents?

Indeed, I've seen it discussed on here a lot.

It is believed millennials are breaking cycles of abuse and childhood trauma and I believe this is why.

Interesting point, an 80s/90s childhood is certainly very different to today.

Earlier inheritance. Maybe that will ease the home buying pressure somewhat?

But life expectancy is 80 something so even if you have a dc at 40, waiting to get on the property ladder till 40 puts you at a disadvantage.

Fewer siblings eventually meaning fewer aunts, cousins and uncles. The family pyramid will shrink and many families will solely consist of grandparents, parents and 1 or 2 children.

This has already happened as family size has been shrinking for years.

Are you that dense to think that your one experience is evidence for anything?

@Kindersurprising Under normal circumstances, it would probably make more sense for men and women to have children at a younger age.

But there's no alternative nowadays- house prices have skyrocketed because inept politicians have not done their job to ensure enough houses are available (because the government is full of clowns who think that houses are supposed to be investments), and the price of cars has also increased because of greedy manufacturers trying to force consumers into larger-than-necessary cars.

Higher cost of living means that people have to wait to have children, when their finances will allow for it.

Having children isn't an option for me because I am not partnered. But if I was partnered, I still wouldn't have children. It's too expensive today because of the broken economics in this country.

It is believed millennials are breaking cycles of abuse and childhood trauma and I believe this is why.

I had a very damaging childhood with parents who were too young and not ready.

I was born in the first half of the 60s so my great grandparents (on one side) had died 60 and 20 years before I was born. And they were born in the 1860s and 70s. Grandparents on that side had their first child at 27 and 34 and then their first child (my parent) was nearly 30 when they had their first child in the 50s. So the norm in my family for people to have their first around 30 - like me and my sibling. Both early 30s before starting a family.

No woman 40+ that I know has children with additional needs. That's a very strong assumption to make.

Most of my friends don't even live in the same country as their parents. Times have changed.

You really are one of the most unpleasant and biased posters I've ever seen on here

The alternative would be women having children at a younger age when they won't be financially stable, might not have established their careers and need financial help from the government. How is that good for society?

I do think it's positive for society that women are now able to have careers, think very carefully about if they actually want children without as much pressure as it is just something you do and be able to be financially stable before having children if it is something they want.

The positives outweigh any potential negatives.

I think older parents will have a positive impact on society due to their parenting techniques and stable support structures. Sadly the downsides of young, usually single mothers are fairly obvious around our estate.

You clearly aren’t reading the same posts as me!

Awful, worked in care, compassion and empathy needed, stories of learning disabilities, ( my preferred choice), did agency work in posh nursing homes, and some home care too, mainly good.
Staff moral often low too, the upset and fear for some home care, very upsetting, no travel time.
Lots just lonely in home care.
Human contact , kind words and the ability to make a difference, robots can’t do, no way

OP, you have now finally lost me with ‘living in communes’ listed as a potential consequence of women having their first child at age 35 😆

You mean posters saying things you don't want to acknowledge?

So what do you suggest, oh wise one? Bring on the interesting and focused discussion you're asking others to provide, and the ways we can 'prepare' for the impacts.

Ten years of conservative government made sure that only the very well off could afford to marry early, have kids early, because society was saying you need a house and x income but there has been wage stagnation and house prices and rents have gone through the roof. (Excuse the pun) I’d have much rather had children earlier but couldn’t afford to get married. When I was a teenager my Gran stopped everyone in the middle of Christmas dinner to tell me the greatest gift I could give my husband on my wedding night was my virginity. 🤨 So for the long admonished millennials there has been a major mismatch between what our elders said we should be doing in our lives and jobs and what was available and achievable.

If society is going to turn around now and say ‘why are you all having too few children too late in life’ well frankly go swivel.

Abolish the two child cap for one.

Yes, but big families looked after each other through the generations. The issue now is people choosing to have their first child in their 40s when their own parents are either very old or deceased then maybe having only one child. There's a greater likelihood of that child having additional needs, their parents being older means they can only care for them for a limited period and consequently the child cannot care for the parents in old age.

You really have a beef with older parents don't you?

Have you thought about why?

Yes, sandwich generation and all that, but having a child at 18 and then what, you are 70 and looking after your mum who is 88? That is not fun either, physically, I mean.

"The number of women aged 45 and over giving birth is at the highest level since records began 80 years ago, figures show."
"The number of live births in this age group rose from 1,619 a decade ago to 2,366 in 2018. In 1938, when records began, there were 2,085 births to women over 45"

It's not new or a huge amount