In case my last post ‘Down Syndrome
and how it happens’ caused undue stress
to anyone who find themselves in this category, I am following up with this
post, to bring about some encouragement and validation to all who are thinking of starting families at a later stage in life and the rest of us who are already on this path.
According to a Statistics Canada Report,
although it is well known that older women who conceive are at increased risk
for miscarriages, stillbirth and babies born with birth defects, these babies
are generally just as healthy as those born to younger women.
The report went on further to say that
these children are often more advanced, saying their first words and taking
their first steps earlier than those born to women in their mid to late
twenties.
Another article ‘In praise of older Parents’, looks at the benefits of being older
parents which includes the fact that older parents are usually more established
in their careers and are generally more financially secure by this point in
their lives and are also more equipped to manage the changes that having
children bring.
Older parents also say that they are
now more patient with their children more than they would have been when they
were younger.
Of course, like everything else, there
is a flipside to all things good. Many older parents will find that they are
mistaken for grandparents and that can cause some discomfort if you are not
secure in who you are. From experience I know that keeping up with toddlers
later in life is somewhat of a challenge and these kids somehow seem to need your
attention more.
All in all, I strongly believe that a
child that comes to us at any age in our lives is such a blessing and once we do
not set ourselves up for failure by having ridiculously high expectations, the
experience should be a rewarding and fulfilling one. Just to reiterate my
closing point, our son is hyperactive, from he was in the womb (if I might
say). When he was two years old, one of his uncles said to me, “I am in awe of
how you keep up with him.” I guess he made that comment because I am not a mom
in my 20’s or even 30's for that matter. I did not have to think too much or too long about my response to
him, I quickly said, “I came into this with no high expectations” and I did not
have to say anything else, he got the point.
Follow the links below for more
information in this regard:-
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