What's the Appropriate age to start making critical life decisions?

[chavosaur]

So I've been recently doing the thing where I look back at Highschool people I knew every once in awhile to see what everyone's up to. In doing so, I've come across the trend that most country's face nowadays. A ton of them are still only 18-19 years of age and are already having kids, getting engaged or married, and beginning their "Adult life" WAY to soon.

It got me thinking as to what is the borderline age for parenthood anymore? What's the standard age one should decide, "This is when I will begin my family. This is when I'll get married, have children, etc?"

The modern day standards have changed so much over the years that it's crazy to me how so many people are in such a rush to get into such big commitments. And some of them even manage to make it work.
But then there are those that it serves to effectively destroy their lives. Teenage mothers with no support, Couples who try to make it work and dig themselves into debt.
Placing burdens on their family members that have to help with your mistakes.

So my questions are, What is the Borderline age that one should be making critical life decisions? What does the future hold for younger generations continuing down this slippery slope? And why the fuck are people so stupid to be making these decisions that impact your life so much?

 

[Sicklyboy]

This is something that has to be approached on a per-person basis. I'm 22 and there are new things I'm tackling dday by day. I make wise and unwise financial decisions, I'm strategically and aggressively paying off the bit of debt I have, working on finding a big boy job, going to be looking into buying a new car when my debt is taken care of, eventually get a place of my own, some day I'll settle down, get married, and have kids. But no way in hell am I ready to have kids, I know that. Truth be told I'd wager that the majority of the people your age that are having them now aren't ready either.

Life is long. Shit, it's the longest thing you're going to do. You've got time.

 

[Arras]

There isn't one "good age to make decisions". The problem is IMO these people tend to not know themselves.

 

[BORTZ]

Hello, my name is Bortz.

I am 24 (and a half!) years old. I am a college grad with a BS in digital media and I live at home with my parents. Moved in after graduation and got a job near home in 2012. Its full time and I am making decent (only decent) money. The important part is that I am paying off my loans. I am about halfway done. I have a car, go visit my girlfriend at college and stuff...

After she graduates in 2015 I am thinking we will get married and have to move out into the real world to get jobs and have a place of our own. I dont know if we plan on having children... I dont know.

"You are never ready. You only know when you are ready enough"

 

[Black-Ice]

18, Last year at college, whether or not I get into University is up in the air.
I have a whole load of decisions and possibilities and they're quite overwhelming.
But that's just me

 

[mightymuffy]

38 here. Still not old enough for kids..... (Nah I've got 2!)

You're ready when you're ready, and fukk what anybody else thinks about that! Life is whatever you make of it: if you want kids now (sounds a bit unlikely judging by your post ) then go for it, if you wanna wait until you're 40, or not even have any at all, then go for those instead.
Like Arras said there's no recommended age to start making those decisions, and certainly no age limit (of course, having kids might be a struggle if you're that old you can no longer 'get it up', but there ya go). Often big things like this happen when you're not planning them anyway, and if that happens, well fret not young padawon and just enjoy the ride - life might be long enough to hold off making the big decisions, but it's too short to be worrying about them.... (and that was quite a bit fukkin philosophical for me!)

 

[Hyro-Sama]

I personally think 18-19 is way too young to be starting a family. Especially in today's age.

 

[Hells Malice]

Most young adults these days lack any and all common sense. They have absolutely no idea what it is they are committing to, especially when it comes to children.

But it's definitely not a set age where you could just say "okay now is the time for baby making and marriage"
I'd say once you have your life in place (finished school, found a job, settled down) it'd be the perfect time to start those things, but even then it's a huge decision to make.

I'm 22 and thanks to "stuff" going on in life i'm still pretty much at square one. I still need to get my ass to school and get a real job. Right now that's really my only priority. The only critical life decision i'm making right now or the foreseeable future is "game design or accounting".

 

[DinohScene]

I'm 22.
Fuck making critical life decisions.
I want to live me life to the fullest and enjoy every single moment of it <3

In all seriousness tho, 25+ would be a proper age, considering people easily reach the age of 80 these days.

 

[Haloman800]

The day you hit puberty, just like our ancestors from Mother Europe, married by 14, dead by 30 <3.

 

[FAST6191]

[something about being younger than you can legally go get blasted, also hah 21]

[ITT chavosaur discovers why people consider present state to be a hick state]

I am a determined responsibility dodger but then again I am hardly what you would term good husband or father material. From what I have seen from less fortunate/forward thinking friends my choice to be a gentleman of leisure was the right one.

More on topic I am going to be unable to assign an age as that would conflict with my logic on censorship/age ratings. Can't say I have met too many people with their head screwed on well enough to go with it pre about 22 though, and of those most would determinedly avoid such things too.

 

[EyeZ]

You & only You will know when the time is right.

 

[jurassicplayer]

When you are able to look at a road and say "It's probably not safe to sleep in the middle". I think that would be quite the critical decision.

 

[Patxinco]

26 here.
Almost 45% of the people of my age i've been with in school has at last 1 child (one of them won the lotto and made 2 kids at same time... if you know what i mean).
I really don't know when i'm going to have any kid, or make roots somewhere, but lol, 18-19 years it's the start of the best time in your life, i think you can make critical decisions after 25-26, and start thinking of having a family when the things are good settled (if you have the opportunity, someones hasn't).

Live your life, you'll have plenty of time of thinking in that.

 

[porkiewpyne]

Already 22 but I don't plan on being a father at this point in time. I'd very much rather it happen later when I actually graduate, get a decent job and be financially stable. But that plan's been delayed quite a bit :\ Damn you 2012 ;O;

And all this is assuming my love life goes well. Yea..... hmmmmm.

 

[Gahars]

To be fair, I'd say most of those 18-19 year old parents didn't really up and "decide" to become parents. They just made a mistake (or several) and had to hunker down for the consequences.

Honestly, if you're even considering moving out of the basement before 35, you're moving way, way too fast. #NEETLife

 

[calmwaters]

Any year before 30. Personally, I would recommend 20 since you've expanded your social universe and have many more options to choose from. Me, I'll finish school and get a job, a car, and start making house payments. And all before I'm 30...

*snip*
Honestly, if you're even considering moving out of the basement before 35, you're moving way, way too fast. #NEETLife

I hope this is a really bad attempt at trolling. There's no way in hell you could be that stupid.

 

[Depravo]

If you wait until you're ready for these decisions you'll never make them. Just let shit happen.

 

[FAST6191]

To be fair, I'd say most of those 18-19 year old parents didn't really up and "decide" to become parents. They just made a mistake (or several) and had to hunker down for the consequences.

Honestly, if you're even considering moving out of the basement before 35, you're moving way, way too fast. #NEETLife

That is such a horrible term. I prefer reverse retirement, I even maintain a certain level of "self employment" to keep active in my retirement.

26 here.
Almost 45% of the people of my age i've been with in school has at last 1 child (one of them won the lotto and made 2 kids at same time... if you know what i mean).

I would actually need some elaboration. Are we talking just plain boring twins or brothers from different mothers/sisters from different misters?

If you wait until you're ready for these decisions you'll never make them. Just let shit happen.

Avoiding children and an ex you might occasionally have to speak to seems like a good thing.

Edit. Some thread appropriate music.

 

[Patxinco]

I would actually need some elaboration. Are we talking just plain boring twins or brothers from different mothers/sisters from different misters?

Just plain boring twins (girls), but he had it with 23, what i think is not that bad, one girl i knew, 17 and got his first child, 22 and got the second, both with the same father.