In today’s westernized society, couples are waiting longer to settle down and have a family – increasing the average first time parent age close to 30. It’s not hard to understand why, with education becoming more emphasized and careers becoming the center of our lives, there is no surprise that starting a family is often put on the back burner. Many couples set financial goals for themselves and forget to include how a baby may affect their goal achievement.  Some are sucked into their careers to such a degree, that the idea of having a baby gets pushed aside. While others even decide that having a baby will have such a negative impact on their career that they chose not to have any children at all.

All these are valid thoughts and life decisions. But if you DO want a family, you should remember that the clock is ticking, even for men.

Someone once told me that there is never a good time to have a baby (or maybe it was ‘there is never a good time like the present?’ I’m not sure anymore). In the pursuit of life, power and money, it is only logical that we are “too busy” to become parents, or we don’t have enough this that or the other thing. But when we wait for all these “things” (which we will acquire regardless if we really want them), we forget that we are not getting younger, and that raising a baby takes energy.

Over the last 2000 years, the average age for first time parents increasing. In biblical times the average age for a mother was about 13. Today the age is about 30. Although there are still some very young parents – there are many more older parents – often exceeding 40. If you do the math, you’ll find that more and more couples have their first child in their early 30’s verses their early 20’s just a generation ago.

Before you wake up one day and feel you have missed the train, consider your options. Maybe you don’t have to accomplish everything on your list before you start your family, or maybe you do. Just acknowledge the fact that time could be of the essence and money/power/etc. may not be ‘all that’ if it costs you your chance at parenthood.