In theory I understand the 'ah but I'll have all the child-free adventure times when I'm in my 40s and my children are adults' argument for having them young but a) realistically that won't be the same experience - it may well be better, but it won't be like being young, free and unencumbered and b) from what I see it barely ever happens. A few of my mum's friends thought this would be them and actually they were still pretty tied down by mortgages and jobs and then their own children had children young and they became very hands on young grandparents (if your kids have babies aged 20 realistically they're unlikely to be able to afford childcare), which has its own advantages but absolutely none of them had the wild and free years in their 40s and 50s that they thought would be their recompense for not having them in their 20s.
I had a wild and free year at uni before falling pregnant. I did the getting drunk and going on holiday to Amsterdam. I’ve been for weekends away with friends. There is nothing I feel I missed out on that I can’t get back later in life or do with children. I want to be able to go on holidays with a pool without having to jump in repeatedly with a small child. I want to go for weekends away. I want to be able to afford a nice car.
I have never wanted to get drunk regularly. I am massively anti illegal drugs of any kind and always have been. I have never fancied travelling for an extended period of time. I really don’t see why I can’t enjoy my 40s/50s. I’ll definitely still be working then but I’ll be able to take holidays.