Dads On Delay – Men Are Waiting Longer To Have Kids
I became a father for the last time on December 21, 2009. I was older than the average pops at a youthful “57”. But I’m in pretty good company in the older dad having kids thing.
Stanford University researchers have concluded that men are waiting longer and longer to become fathers these days. The white coats analyzed federal birth records and discovered fathers of newborns are now, on average, three-and-a-half years older than their counterparts were in the early 1970s. (when my first baby was born!)
That’s looking at first time dads but the percentage of births to fathers older than 40 hit nine percent in 2015, more than double the four percent seen in 1972. Go Dad!
Researchers say while there are some concerns that older fathers are more likely to have kids who could be affected by certain health conditions, that’s offset by the fact that older dads tend to have better jobs, more stability, and be more involved in children's lives.
Stanford’s scientists say it's important to pay attention to these demographic shifts and what their implications could be for society.
I’ll just add this, “Best Decision Ever”!