Married at 30. Children at 35 and 40.
Married at 25 (were together 6 years before that, living together for 3 before that), had our son at 32 (our only). In some senses having our son earlier would have been beneficial, he would be graduating from school earlier and would give me more time to build up retirement savings and such, and would be younger to enjoy the financial freedom from private school and all the cost of music over the years.
On the other hand, I am glad it happened when it did, we had serious issues with our family of origin and issues in ourselves that needed to be worked on, and I think being older, we had the wisdom to work on them, get help, which we might not have in our 20’s (for one thing, as you get older, you get a lot more perspective on health families, and in your 20’s there is still some of the duty to parents/parents know best in instinct, by your 30’s most of that has gone). We were young enough to handle everything having a kid throws at you, but old enough to have more wisdom. To be honest, my issue wasn’t when we had our kid, it was when we met, we were kind of thrust into a situation where we ended up in a seriuous relationship too young, were forced to make decisions we shouldn’t of had to, and that to me was more of an issue…
Married at 23, then had 1st at 26 & 2nd at 27 (18 months apart). 2nd came as a bit of surprise, so I would have liked a little more time in between. Then when 2nd was 5 weeks old, H transferred into a different position (engineering into sales) and we moved to another state. So that first year of the 2nd child is still a bit of a blur.
But now that we are looking at the empty nest coming, H & I are salivating over the ability to travel anytime we want without having to worry about school breaks. Plus, we’ve been frugal, so we got the last bill for our mortgage today - so we will be mortgage free in one more payment! Yay! Of course, that money will be turned into college expenses now.
We were married at 22, DH is six months younger. I had known fertility issues, so we started trying when I was 27, knowing it might take a while. I had a really hard time when all my friends were getting pregnant right away. S1 was born six weeks before my 30th birthday, S2 was born shortly after I turned 31. (15 months apart – was still nursing S1!) We had day care, unpaid parental leave, student loans, and saving for a house during those years – I was pretty antsy about getting out of our rental and into a house. DH had always lived in apartments growing up, so didn’t see the big deal. Would not have minded #3, but it never happened. Two under two was a crazy kind of fun. They were both easy babies and toddlers.
Am thankful in retrospect that we had them relatively early, as I was diagnosed with leukemia at 41 (they were 10 and 11 then) and I was terrified that I wouldn’t be there for them as they grew up.
Neither of their grandmothers were in good enough health to be actively involved with the guys. My MIL passed away at 67, a few months after I was diagnosed; my mom passed away three years ago. Both grandfathers are still with us, though they don’t live locally.
Don’t expect to be a grandmother any time soon. If I had to do any part of it again, I would have gotten married a couple years later after I’d lived on my own for a bit. Being married for seven years before kids was really important, but there were things I needed to learn that should have taken place before I got married.
I had my first in my early 20s and that was fine because I don’t think I would then have been the person who would have done the travel etc. Had number 3 at 28, and like @takeitallin, my D1 was all over that baby! Empty nest at 46, but with responsibility for senior parents, I don’t feel like we really got to revel in it as much as I would have liked and now, my D3 just had her first and I can honestly admit I wish she had waited a few years as that time to travel & enjoy life would have been really fun about now & face it, a grandbaby trumps all that!
Love the grandbaby, love having tD3 close, just would have enjoyed a little bit of time to be selfish, I don’t think I would have enjoyed it in my 20s the way I know I would in my 50s.
I was 28, 31, and 34 – It seemed just right and I would not change a thing.
I was 40, H was pushing 50. We met late, married late. He says he would like to have been closer to my age, largely because he may not be around to see his grandchildren if she waits as long as I did to have kids of her own!
But life happens when it happens, and I would not change anything. The years when I was single and working overseas were life-altering and made me a better mother.
I married an engineer - things were pretty well planned out! 
We got engaged after being together 5 years … married at 23 (me) and 24 (H) … kids were planned for 5 years out … so pregnant a little after 5 year anniversary. Kids at 29 and 32 (spacing was a matter of fate, since the plan on that one was 2 years). Would I do it differently? No. It was perfect for us. D used to say that 29 was too young for kids - until two of her best friends became OB/GYN’s and told her that late 20’s is optimal (if all else is in place for that to occur, of course).
I was 21,24, and 29. I’m glad we had our kids young. I did not have a college degree and had a modest (at best) paying job so it made staying home with the kids a much easier choice. It’s not like we missed out on travel, because kids or no kids we couldn’t afford anything extravagant. But, with the kids we went camping every year to someplace fun. We made wonderful memories on the cheap. Dad worked full time days 7-3. I worked almost full time nights 4:30-10:30 (which was a great excuse to nap with my kids every afternoon). It worked for us.
I became a grandmother at 46(!) because our son (oldest) and daughter-in-law wanted to be young parents like us (awww). DIL’s parents were considerably older and her dad died while she was in college. (When our son was born he still had 4 living great-grandparents and 3 grandparents!)
My only regret is that now that we’re pretty much an empty nest I don’t know what to do with myself. I was so busy being busy for all those years that I never really developed my own interests.
I was 25, and we wouldn’t change a thing
32 and 34. I liked having them fairly close in age, and feel we were relatively “fully baked” when they arrived. But, 2 years after second was born, We separated and eventually divorced. I think the health risks associated with becoming parents later are important to consider, and I wouldn’t have wanted to have them after 35.
I was 35 and 40. We almost gave up and seriously considered adoption. My wife was 38 when she had our youngest and had health issues for years afterward.
I noticed that I was ten years older than some of the other dads and we seemed to be from different generations.
My boss and his wife were 52 and 48 when they had their child. It’s how it worked out for them, and they really wanted their child … but I do try to prepare him for the fact that when his kid starts school, the other parents will probably think he’s the grandpa.
Husband and I were both 25, 29 and 33 when we had our kids. We would not change a thing. Our youngest will graduate HS when we are 52 and we look forward to lots of traveling while we are still ‘young’.
Had kids at age 28, 30, 34 & a surprise at 38. SO glad i had #4; but sometimes wish she’d been a surprise a few years earlier.
@novicemom23kids – our neighbor (pediatrician) always said that 3 yrs apart spacing was ultimate; so you hit that!
@3rdXsTheCharm – i agree with you about how its been hard to develop my own interests. Now that i have more time to pursue my interests, i’m not quite sure what they are. Working on that!
That was my old neighbor. He was going around telling everyone that tehir ages add up to 100.
Just had our first. I was 33, she was 32. I might’ve been happier starting earlier, but my wife being a resident meant no go on that.
It’s mostly about hating being tired all the time. But I guess that’s inevitable when the Gift of Men begins to set in.
I was 25, 27 and 29. Loved it. Had all the energy in the world. My parents were also young when they had me so my kids who are now grown and have kids of their own still have their grandparents. And I am young enough to thoroughly enjoy the grandchildren and be able to help raise them. I get to have two of them with a third on the way, three days a week. My husband was older and his parents were older. My kids barely knew those grandparents and my husband does not enjoy the kids like I do. I hope to attend their weddings like my parents got to. They have six great grand kids so far and hopefully more to come because those six are from the first four grand kids out of sixteen. I did miss out on a career early, but had no problem picking that up later. With plenty of time to enjoy it. Much harder to go back and have kids later.
I had my first child at 28. If I had to change it, I would have waited until I was 29, and out of the military. For years there wasn’t a day that went by where I didn’t wonder if his social challenges stemmed from us being deployed/gone during Desert Storm when he was a little guy. We could have avoided all that trauma. However, I always think that everything that has been done, every mistake, every bad judgment call has brought us to where we are today, and I like where we are, and I like how my son has turned out, challenges or not. So maybe I wouldn’t change anything.
37 and 39, DW 7 years younger. Works out great. Financially secure to provide good life for kids. Will retire when both leave for college, so at least 15 good years of good retirement for myself.