Your stage of parenting at 40

[Isthistherealworldisthisjustfantasy]

Where are you at?
How do you feel about it?

I'm 40 and have a young family. I had my last baby last year. Still breastfeeding.

In my mind, I feel like I'm late 20s/early 30s and my stage of parenting kind of fits in with this delusion.

A few days ago, a father and son were on Instagram. The dad was 41 and the son was a big strapping 22 year old man, and at first, my husband (who is 41) was a bit discombobulated. I reminded him that we are old enough to not just have adult children, but grandchildren too. We sat there with our minds blowing. We do understand the maths, obviously, but we feel in such a different stage of life to our biological ages.

We started talking about how a woman has quite a long season where she can potentially get pregnant. I just saw on the news that Natasha Hamilton, who is 41, is pregnant, and I had a moment of feeling a pang of envy before I reminded myself that while I'd love another child, we are stopping at the 3 we have. I know that lots of 40 year old women would be horrified at the thought of pregnancy as their children are teens or adults.

Anyway, I think around 40 is a unique period of time in a woman's life where she can technically be a grandmother and still get pregnant and I was wondering where you all are by 40!

How old are your kids? Have you any grandchildren? Did you have all of your kids when you were young, spread over time or not until later? How would you feel if you got pregnant now? How would you feel if you became a grandmother now? Has anyone experienced both at the same time?

Had my DD at 42, DH was 53, very unexpected high risk pregnancy, DH has 1 son and 3 grandchildren who are DD's niece and nephews despite being between 7-10 years older than her. I have always felt much younger in my head, about 20 years younger

42 here with a 25 year old a 23 year old...... and a 6 year old! I would have another one at 43 if it was my choice 🤣
Still no grandchildren which I always imagined I would have in my 30s ☺️

Young free and single at 40. Now married with a 4 year old at 47. Loved both stages of my life.

I had mine at 22 & 24; I wanted to have them in my early 20’s so that I would be a youngish grandma; my children both married this year & my first grandchild is due later in the year & I can’t wait xx

I’m 43 and have a 13 yr old boy and a 5 year old girl, I’m totally done now I couldn’t do newborn again and I don’t want to be the granny on the school run, but it’s not easy they either love eachother or hate eachother and wind eachother up something chronic.

My Mum laughs because there’s the exact age difference between my kids as there was with me and my brother - and that my friends is called karma 🤣

Maybe I should add that my children at 35 and 37 was fine energy wise. I kept up with them OK. My body suffered more than my sisters who had their children in their 20s. They are now in their teens and I feel younger than people many age that already have grandchildren

53 here , kids , 36, 34 , 32 , they have become a nightmare, apparently i should be always available for grand kids and there needs , im not dressing for my age ,must book MY HOLIDAYS to suit them..list goes on , ive found the block and delete very use

I’m 43 with a 1 yo and a 2 yo. And I’m soooo tired but also so bloody happy. My granny became a gran at 35. I broke the mould in my family having them so late in life.

At 40 I had a 17 yr old, 8 yr old and 6/7 yr old.
Today they are now 38, 29 and 26/27 - and I have a 2 yr old grandchild (from eldest child). The only concern I have is about if I will have enough energy to help with any children my youngest might have in the future - and time to develop a relationship with them. I think that might be a drawback for having children later in life

44 and have a 13 year old. I would have struggled with a baby at 40 tbh.

At 40 I will have a 19 year old and 13 year old.

I know these are the best days of my life, but I’m really hoping by 40 I will be in a more secure place career wise and be able to focus a bit more on myself then.

44 with a 2yr7mth old and a 6 mth old. Tired doesn’t even begin to describe it!!! But feel so immensely privileged to have these two little wonders in my life and wouldn’t have it any other way.

40 this year and dc range from 11 to 16. Most peers from university have much younger children.

Had a 2yo, 5yo and 7yo.

We are even more confused than you lol . We both have children from previous relationships , 2 very early 20 s , a teen and a pre teen and a 1 year old together.
My mum was a grandma twice when she was younger than me .
I honestly don’t think it matters , if anything it tells me there is no such thing as a “ right time “ to have children . Both me and hubby where parents in very early 20s and in our 30s very early 40s , we have more stability and financial capacity now , we don’t stress as much with stuff as we did in our 20s .
Life had different worries back then and has different worries now .
Just enjoy your family 😊

My youngest will turn 15 a few days after I turn 40.

My other 3 DC will be 21, 20 and 17.

I can smell the freedom from here!

I have 2 boys I'm 52. One of 27 and my youngest son 9. Wouldn't change a thing.

I’m 44 and have a 16 year old and a 2 year old!

I'm 40 and my DS is 6. Whenever I watch 16 and Pregnant it blows my mind that I could have a 24 year old 😂

I didn't have kids yet at 40! I have two little ones now

I’m 42… hubby is 56. Kids are 16, 7, nearly 8 and 18 months. Loving life!

48, 49 not long from now. I have a 21 year old (just finished Uni) and a nearly 9 year old.

I had an 17 and a 19 year old at 40. I was a grandmother by 43 and there is no way on earth I could have coped full time with a baby at 40 (and actually I was peri menopause at 32 so wouldn’t have happened anyway).

When I was 40, my oldest was 18 and my youngest 3, middle child was 5.
My mother was 37 when she adopted me, and I was 29 when she died. I vowed then I wouldn't be an old mum, but my ex didn't want more children, so I didn't have my 2nd until that relationship had finally died a death. I met someone else, his ex had moved out one day, taking his children with her - he wasn't in a position to fight for them, but still wanted children.
Now I'm 63 and the youngest is still at home...

I'm 44 my children are 22, 18, 15 and 9yrs. No grandchildren as yet 😀