[Closed] Any older dads?!

stox, we are about to offload a lot of baby stuff, all cheap and in good nick if you are interested. Chairs, steamers for food, bottles, steriliser and so on.

One of the best is the jungle chair swing with overhanging animals. Strap baby in, chair swings and overhead animals rotate to jungle music (not the General Levi kind). Both ours loved it and you can do the hoovering uninterupted.

Another older dad here. I thin kit's great though obviously having a little 'un is a bit tying, the ability to just pop out to the cinema, or a meal or a bike ride becomes a much greater issue.

You'll get a little envious of dads who had kids early, so they're doing stuff again you can't do, but looking back at what I've done, holidays I've done pre-child I wouldn't swap.

Kryton57 - already keeping an eye on the classifieds to see what appears so ill keep my eyes open if you intend starting a thread....

I don't want to get too much into it right now (and waste your time) as we have only just announced it so we have friends and family already offering us items but I could be interested a little further down the line < thumb up>

the ability to just pop out to the cinema, or a meal or a bike ride becomes a much greater issue.

2 Labradors so that's the norm for us anyway 🙂

2 Labradors so that's the norm for us anyway

Ha ha, true.

I'm in the same boat at 36 with my first on the way. I do get a bit nervous, but now I just have to make sure I stay active.
In a way it's a good thing, I'm financially stable and we have a quite good home. Me and mrsW are happily married and will provide a very secure base.
Still scared though.

3 month old boy and a 1 year old lab springer x . The dog has been fine , i think she is young enough to be just excited by it and not put out to much . We have made a point of trying to involve the dog in family trips out and making sure she still gets a good walk , this is where trail hounding comes in handy as it gives you a chance to ride your bike and get the dogs out at the same time. Ours has become quite good at cleaning up baby sick !

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I was 37, it gets easier and you wouldn't be without them.My dog was fine when little stard arrived too, she tends to keep out of his way.

It is tricky with dogs. Mostly it's just making sure you give them enough time and they don't feel ignored or left out, which can be difficult as you'll be knackered pretty much all the time. Get a baby carrier thing for walks. It gets better as kids get older as they can join in some of the games you play with your dog. Blobby Jr use to love standing in his walker thing watching our dog running about after throw toys.

A dog cleaning up baby sick is one thing... but cleaning up runny baby poo that has leaked out of the nappy... 😐

There was a kid I used to know at school who was teased mercilessly due to having parents in their fifties. I wouldn't have wanted to be that kid then but I guess he had the last laugh when his dad croaked early and the life insurance paid for his TVR at 20yo.

There was a kid I used to know at school who was teased mercilessly due to having parents in their fifties.

Any tips for a newborn around 2 (very spoilt) cats?

May have to start shutting them out of the bedroom as they often sleep at the foot of the bed. heard horror stories about cats sleeping in cots and suffocating babies, but I imagine there will be too much noise for them and they will run a mile.

Mostly it's just making sure you give them enough time and they don't feel ignored or left out,

Saw my youngest stood there hitting the cat on the head and saying sorry each time he did it at about 16 months till she hit him

He also grabbed her by the tail and pulled till her claws gave way and she sprung into his face claws out. After crying hysterically he then went and did the exact same thing

An angry and annoyed dog will do a lot more damage if it gets cross and reacts

As above pics note the incidents will be rare and most seem to take to it well but I would be attentive tbh once they can move anyway

What Junkyard said. Our 18 month old is getting the hang of stroking and being gentle with our dog but still sometimes does the slapping thing instead of stroking. Keep a close eye on them! Sometimes I think kids just can't help themselves when it comes to pulling a tail.

May have to start shutting them out of the bedroom as they often sleep at the foot of the bed. heard horror stories about cats sleeping in cots and suffocating babies, but I imagine there will be too much noise for them and they will run a mile.

We keep them out of wherever our boy is sleeping, but our cats tend to keep their distance anyway. They are real outdoorsy cats so I don't think they are bothered.

35 when my first one came along. I think you're at just the right age to show the level of nurturing / experience and playfulness to be a great Dad. Having a baby makes you young again.

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37 old? your having a larf..

i was a week shy of 40 when jnr1 landed best days work i ever did.

my mate Walt knocks that for six though he and the gorgeous Jo had there first kids, twin boys, 5 months ago.. she's 46 and Walt hes 62 next month..

I'm 39 and have a gorgeous 2yr old Grand Daughter - It's bringing back memories but its nice to hand her back to her mum and dad 😀

Was 39 when our first was born, will be 42 for the second and who knows for the third and fourth. The Wife is 8 years younger. 😀

I'm 42 and we had our little Thomas only 6 weeks ago.

I have had a very travelled and interesting life so far...and this little fella is only going to enhance it !

Loving it !!

A year ago today we had a baby Ralph and I was 37. Didn't think about the age thing apart from the fact that I doubt I would have been ready for it (mentally/responsibly/financially) when younger. I'm not saying I wouldn't of coped earlier, because I'm sure people adapt to whatever comes their way in life, but I think a bit of maturity can only help bring up a well balanced offspring!

My dogs a big nutty Dalamtion, he did calm down when my first born arrived, think its a pack thing. Never had any agressive issues apart from him stealing their food but he does that with everyone.

Im 46, and my wife is 41, after all her (and our) prevoius attempts ending in misscarraige we are expecting our first baby early oct, and i cant wait! i have a 13yr old lad from my previous marraige and he is about as exited as we are, but he may be just as exited about getting the scalextrix out again after he said i should get rid of it as he'd grown out of it 8)

I was on holiday with the family recently, and looking around at the various families, found out that we were one of the youngest couples (44 and 49) with the oldest kids (15 and 18). So glad we had the kids when we did, seeing the older mums and dads trying to cope and running round after the kids was great fun. My son and I have had years of biking together and now he is old enough, he can buy the drinks after our rides too. Result.
Being a Dad is brilliant (probably) at any age, but my kids are old enough and I am young enough to do loads of things together.
How old will you be when he asks you to show him how to do ‘Manuals’ or that 4 foot drop-off. Just saying.
Enjoy them though, whatever age you are and what age they are too.

Captaincarbon - congratulations !

only 6 weeks ago

Loving it !!

you haven't got to the teething bit yet then...

Only 6weeks? Bless.

The other night our 3yr old played us off against each other at 2am.

You'll love it.

im 47 and my first and only kiddie is 6 months old

you are a bit young to be having kids, not too old

Me 47 crankbrat 2 . Loving every minute.

Had my first at 22 in 1990 , second in 93 at 25 and my third in 2011 at 44 , all Girls and the two olders ( half) sisters love the little un to bits
Keeps you young , stopped me smoking ( sort of) and wouldnt change it for the world.

Your more chilled being an older daddy

Had my first at 45, second at 47, they keep you young if you do it right 🙂

Hello O.P.,congrats.
I was 42 when L'il J came last year. It's great fun.
I don't think I would have been a very good a dad if I 'd had him when i was younger - too selfish, burning my candle at both ends etc - I don't know how my folks coped tbh , they where 19 when they had me.
I don't mind not going on the lash etc these days - and I can watch music festivals on the telly - I do want to take him camping to the Dyfi and the like -next year hopefully! 🙂
I keep telling senorita J that I have to keep cycling to remain young - she agrees fortunately ,so thats cool.

Sometimes I worry that he'll think I'm an old git when he's older - but which kids don't consider their parents duffers at some point?
Sleep is an issue - just go to bed when you're spent. You'll discover exhaustion like you have never felt it before 🙁

It's been great reading these replies ... I feel young 🙂
Roll on march!

34 and have just had a baby daughter arrive two weeks ago. It's brilliant 🙂 and nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be from a sleep deprivation point of view although I'm sure every experience is different. Emergency C section so looking after mum and baby Waller at the moment and all are doing well.

Best bit of kit I have found...... A belkin wireless timer thing. Plugged a lamp into it with a real low wattage bulb. Every time the little one stirs I can turn the light on via my iPhone and can check without blinding everyone awake and its easier for me to get back to sleep again. Found the little one doesn't fully awake as a consequence. It's been brilliant.

Good luck and I hope it all goes well. It's incredible and I can't imagine life without her 🙂

We are 36 and 40. 4 year old and 1 year old. You are plenty young enough. it's hard whatever age you are. I doubt I would have been as good a Dad if I had started 10 years ago. I am almost a grown up now. 😉

Congratulations btw

Best bit of kit I have found

I think that will be another thread for me to start - things to buy / avoid !

I'm 44 and have four kids. The oldest is 11 and the youngest 2. I think it is better to have kids later. I had my wild years a while ago and now have more time/inclination to spend on the children. And as others have said, it keeps you young!

Glad somebody started this thread. I am thirty six with my first due in February, mrs funkmaster is thirty. I was worried about age, similar to OP, but reading this is making me feel better. I would have been a terrible parent in my twenties, pretty much lived the lyrics to QOTSA - feel good hit of the summer, that wold have been disastrous 🙂

Now more mature and don't do anything other than the occasional glass of Bourbon. Have a dog, well small horse, (Newfoundland cross) and can't wait to introduce them to each other. Growing up with a dog as a friend is one of my fondest memories. Worried and excited about the baby in equal measure, roll on February 😀

I'd say it's pretty much the norm isn't it?...I'm 37 with kids of 1 and 4, which is about the same as all my friends.

My dad was 50 when they had me! (Mum was 42). That is my definition of an older dad - and he was the best dad I could ever have wished for...but I did lose him when I was 21. As he'd done it all before a good 20 years earlier when he had my older brothers and sisters, there was pretty much nothing I did that he hadn't seen before, so I had quite an easy ride. I loved the fact that he was properly 'old school' compared to my friend's dads, e.g. he wore a tie every day...even once he'd retired...he'd never owned a pair of jeans or trainers either.

His dad had him post 30 as well, which leads to the odd situation that all my grandparents were born in the reign of Queen Victoria and my grandfather fought in WW1!

What about your ladies? I'm 33 and still not ready 😯

I'm 46 in 1hr and 2mins. My twins are 4.

Sometimes I wish I did it years ago, other times I just love it for what I now have.

I'm 40 with 3 and 7 yr old girls. Don't feel old whatsoever but wouldn't want any more, not an age thing but never been so skint in my whole life since we had them. The end is in sight when the youngest goes to school and we don't have to pay nursery fees anymore. No way would I do it all again. They are the best thing in the world though.

It is odd though - some people I was at school with are grandparents, have kids in Uni etc. others have kids same age / younger than my two.

i was 35....

to say it's been easy is a lie, the sleep deprivation killed us, and she is still getting up at 6am on the dot, cant complain as she is down at 7.30pm and we don't hear a peep.

i do feel old, i am easily the youngest parent down the local park and taking her swimming, but i dont care.

financially it does hit you, she finished child car 2 days a week which was a god send and she start nursery next month.

in hindsight i wish i'd done it younger maybe 30, but it didnt work out that way and i wouldnt have done half the things i've done (travelling etc)

I was 34 when my oldest lad (8) was born and 40 when his little brother (2) joined us , we never intended the big gap but nature doesn't always play fair.

When mrscarlos and I got together in 1989 neither of us was remotely interested in having a family,we enjoyed spending our money on us and generally having a good time. As we turned 30 we started talking about family but never got further than practicing 😈 We still had stuff we wanted to do and as we got older we decided it would be nice to share the experiences with our own family and the rest is history.

At the school my eldest attends the older parents (circa 40ish) seem to be in a majority. I sometimes wish we'd started earlier as my 2 lads are pretty full on for the whole time they're awake and I'm knackered by the time they get to bed most nights but I love being a dad the good things far outweigh the bad ,just can't wait till I can get them both out on their bikes for a proper ride.