In thinking this is the smuggest article I have ever had the misfortune to read

[mrsshackleton]

"We are so bloody marvellous and everyone else is wrong"

I've never read such a load of judgemental codswallop

Branded Winnie the Poo equipment - OMG!!

Have we met, Kitty?
I'm really a grossly overweight yet tres chic gent with slightly hairy back and 10-a-day fruitshoot habit, kept as a toyboy by herd of octogenarians in a dingy basement of a bingo palace in Tennessee.

SirBoobsky, yes I can, I'm not trying you see....

Sorry , when I said "v funny" I meant when you aren't trying.

When you are trying to be funny it doesn't really work.

Sorry again for any misunderstanding.

Not to worry, I forgot to add the [rolls eyes] emoticon, dearie...
As you were.

No, still doesn't do it for me. I'll try it again for you a couple of times:

[rolls eyes] emoticon

[rolls eyes] emoticon

Nope, not working today. Sorry

It's OK, try again tomorrow. [pats head]
It really is odd how seriously every article touching on parenting etc. is taken around here; pitchforks come out and hand wringing, tres cerebral grunts and bags of profanities follow, guaranteed.
If one is happy being a young/old/whatever parent - fantastic, enjoy and all that.
Writers are expected to express opinion or two and hopefully, an original thought once in blue moon.
If your opinion differs, that's absolutely fine. No need to turn über-militant you know.....

Good, funny bits again:

"pitchforks come out and hand wringing, tres cerebral grunts and bags of profanities follow, guaranteed."

Cerebral grunts.

Bags of profanities.

Love it. More writing like this please. A joy to read.

Young mums can be crap or wonderful. Older mums can be crap or wonderful.

Awful article and too smug - I just feel writing something like that would be almost like tempting fate.

Yes and dont get what is wrong with the everyone likes chocolate. Hate all those smug organic, breastfeeding types and I am nearly 40. So judgemental.

Yes, what UndomesticHousewife said. The end.

YANBU! I agree with you, wanted to stop reading, but couldn't, fascinated. I am 40, think the premise of the article is rubbish!! I go to toddlers with women half my age with kids same age as mine,we all have the same issues, depends people, not age. Agree re snob factor too. Sounds like a horrible man - wonder what his wife thinks...?!

I'm a mother in my forties and I'm crap.

Mothers sacrificng themselves on the altar of the next generation.

Oh. My. God.
Falls on floor.

my mum had me when she was 25 and she was an average mum (same as me I think!) but now, she is still young enough to run around after my children and she is a great help to me. she will live long enough to see my children reach adulthood, and if they fall out with me (!) she'll be there to buffer the fights and rebellions!.

That is an aspect to having children young which he has totally, totally ignored and imo it's a really vital advantage which a lot of mums today have, but we won't be able to help our children as much for as long.

yy, but life spans are increasing all the time. I for one plan to have my head detatched and kept alive in a jar, like in Futurama. That will entertain my grandchildren for hours.

what a tossy pile of shite. I had my first at twenty two and now I work a successful business from home. Winnie the pooh - feck off eejit. That mother will be mortified and she will be trusted no more in antenatal in case her charming hubby shares her gossiping with the world again. Vile.

And for what its worth - my most senior client had her baby at forty and she is an amazing mother but has no intention of falling on the career sword, nor does she feel superior to me, her younger counterpart - we both worry about our children, their educations and whether or not they have everything they need. We both get impatient, sometimes feel tired and wonder about balancing everything. Neither of us feel superior to any other parent. Grrrr.

Parenting styles have more to do with your personality than your age. I had my children when I was 23,24 and 43. Contrary to popular belief it was not easier with the third and I have not been a better parent-I think if anything I was better with the first two because I was young enough to be active.
Number 3 is also on the Autistic spectrum, and has a heart defect,which is more likely apparently with older parents.
Silly man.

Good point by withorwithoutyou re the trivialization of fertility treatments... as if they were a walk in the park!

He's clearly a tosser. I had DD at 39 and am over-anxious and woried most of the time , and I know lots of younger mums who are much more relaxed and clued-up than I am.

And what's wrong with Pooh ffs??

worried

Agree that this man is a tosser. He doesn't acknowledge the cons as well as the pros of having your family later in life.

Had mine at 33, 37 and 39, so am I suppose an 'older mum'

Am profoundly glad I'd completed my education and had a few years in a challenging job before I had my childen. Also that I'm less concerned about my body and sexuality, which I think made breastfeeding psychologically easier for me.

BUT am often gutted at the thought that I'll have less time to spend with them as adults than mums who gave birth in their teens and 20's.

I also envy the energy and the positivity of the young mums I know.

It makes me angry that he trivialises age related infertility. My sis is 47 and childless after miscarrying several times in her early 40's. She is heartbroken not to have had children.

"Hate all those smug organic, breastfeeding types and I am nearly 40"

I've always seen lactation as part of the normal physiology of childbearing. Didn't realise it was a lifestyle choice like buying organic food.....

Friend of mine is going through early menopause. It's shit. Wish so much she could have another baby - she has one hard-won gorgeous girl. Banner news indeed.

lol @ dorothea's Futurama-style head jar plan

people read into situations according to their own beliefs (stating the obvious really!)

I'm just wondering - if one of the older mums had done that hot chocolate thing, or had Pooh stuff, would he even have noticed?

or would this anecdote still have appeared in the article, but this time as empirical evidence of the older mother's relaxed attitude to parenting...