In my blog post titled “Planning for the Unexpected,” I covered what happens when women and/or couples run into trouble trying to get pregnant. Often infertility throws a proverbial wrench in otherwise well thought-out life plans.
So when is the best time to have a family? And what are some of the consequences of having a family earlier in life vs. later?
Let’s examine the pros and cons of each situation.
Medically, if a woman decides to have children earlier in life (say in her 20s), it is definitely better for the baby, and chances are the pregnancy will be smoother too. Of primary importance in determining the health of the baby is the health of the mother. Another plus is that the sooner a woman has a child, the more time she will get to spend with him or her during her lifetime.
However, having a child too early in life can also waylay a woman’s career plans (or education/college for that matter!). Some women may postpone or even forego their education entirely. Others may not be able to advance very far in their careers once they have children. In addition, younger parents don’t have as much life experience, and/or maturity, and thus can be unprepared to handle the financial and emotional commitment that it takes to raise a child (in addition to love, money, patience, 24-hour care, etc.)!
On the flip side, if a woman waits to have a child, there are some drawbacks as well.
First of all, when a woman has a successful career, it can be extremely difficult to let go of that career and professional identity if she decides to stay home after becoming a mother! Waiting often brings other unexpected issues, including infertility, and an increased risk of possible birth defects for the child. “Older moms” are often “sandwiched” between taking care of young kids and aging parents. On the medical side, a woman over the age of 35 not only can have trouble conceiving, but is also considered to be a “High Risk Pregnancy” and it can be harder on her body.
Some career-oriented women may not even realize that they want children until later. If that is the case, you may be glad to know that there are some benefits to waiting. More mature parents usually have more patience with small kids, and more life experience so they know how to handle various situations better (and don’t automatically panic, etc.)! It is precisely because they are more established in their careers that they are more successful and thus have more money. Also you don’t have to wonder “What if” I had pursued my career (how far could I have gone?) because you already know.
The bottom line is that you never know what’s going to happen to you in your life. These issues of career, family, motherhood, starting your own business and work/life balance are all intertwined. Women today are multi-faceted and lead busy active lives, whether they are wives, mothers, girlfriends, sisters, and business owners! Above all they “struggle to juggle,” which is why I am hosting my first ever tele-seminar next Tuesday, May 29th.
The Balancing Act for Women in Business!
Click here to register. Enter the code FTWVIP to attend for free!
This session is for you if you can answer “Yes” to any of these questions:
Do you often feel overwhelmed?
Does work-life balance elude you?
Do you ever feel challenged with trying to balance work, life, and family?
Are you considering starting a business and wondering how on earth you are ever going to fit one more thing into your life?
How do you squeeze one more thing into your crazy schedule?
Even our cell phones need to be recharged and so do you!
Can you make it? Or know someone else who needs to attend? If so I would love to hear from you!
Remember, click here to register!
So now I would love to hear from both sides – career-oriented women and/or family-oriented women, or both! How do you do it?
How do you balance work/life family?
