Dad at 72

[zzxxee]

Just saw a programme about a dad who was 72 and his son is around 10 months.
His eldest child is 50
He appears a fit healthy active guy.
What are your views on older parents ?

[LoftyLottie]

I had my one and only at 36 and to some that will seem old. But I had far more patience at 36 than I had in my 20's and in my 20's would not have wanted to give up all the freedom we had as a childless couple. In fact, both of us married thinking didn't want children.

I actually agree with Knox. There are loads of single parents around these days anyway so I can't see what difference it would make a a Dad wasn't around for too long!

Nature seems very wise to me - men can father a child for all their life virtually and for mothers the menopause is the natural age for not having a children. Why interfere with nature.

Good luck to the bloke zzxxee.

[zzxxee]

at least it was a child naturally conceived
i do get annoyed when i hear of woman giving birth at 70 ect as they lie about their age to fertility doctors.

[gina32]

some parents have ben known to die at avery young age, so who is to say that you shouldnt have kids at an old age because you wont be around to see them

[david51058]

Don't you think one of the main reasons for the breakdown of the traditional family has been the boom in house prices over the last 15 years? Before this, a couple could afford to buy a house on one wage only, leaving the other (normally the wife but not neccessarily) to look after the house and be there for the children. Now, because of overpriced housing costs, both parents have to work, with all it entails such as childcare and children coming home to an empty house with no parent there supervise. Yet still there seems to be despair when house prices seem to be coming down. People in this country are obssessed with property prices. A house is first and formost a home, not an investment opportunity

[hannah40]

lifes taught me patience!!!not age.

[Old_Geezer]

I had no patience in my 20s, AND I get crankier as I get older becuase I'm fed up with putting up with it all; and finding the rate of change for the sake of it that makes quality of life worse, is increasing beyond belief.

[joko]

we do generally live longer now, and in future generations will probably live even longer an be healthier...and people die at any age, so although i agree 72 is perhaps a bit too old... being a bit older is no bad thing

saying that, my dad was 44 when he had me an i spent a lot of my youth convinced he was going to die soon...he is now 83

[natalie]

I agree with many of the answers below that it is selfish but only to some degree, if someone has longed for a child for many years surely it is better for them to pass having bore a child and spent many happy years with them; it improves their quality of life before death.
However a 72yr old alreayd having one child that is selfish and unfair to the 50yr old son but maybe the 1st son can be the career for the younger son when the parents have passed?
xD

[CHRISPY75]

My mum was 43 coming up 44 when she had me...36 years ago. I was embarrassed about having an older mum when I was little but now I just tell folk I was a 'late baby' and a total surprise into the bargain!! My mum already had 5 children when I came along - the oldest being 22 (& already married!!) and the youngest coming up 3! So my eldest nephew is a year younger than me but we r a close knit family!
I was one of the eldest in the ward when I had my son....at 28!!
Sadly my mum is no longer here but Dad still going strong - almost 80!! :o)