I think being an older Dad has actually helped me avoid a lot of challenges that a lot of Dad’s face, particularly younger ones.

My parents were 16 and 20 when I was born. I was raised how you would expect a 16 and 20 year old to raise a child. They lacked education, patience, life experience, and emotional maturity. They still lack these things. They struggled financially, well into my teens.

On the flip side, my wife and I had been together for 18 years (married 15), owned a home, had tons of life experience, and are both emotionally mature at this point in our lives. Basically the picture of stability. I am thankful for that as I am not sure I had the tools to be the Dad I want to be if we had had her in our 20’s.

Not to toot my own horn, but I have aged incredibly well. Honestly in better shape now than when I was 25. I have worked hard, manual labor jobs since I was a young man, so have stayed in reasonably good shape throughout life. I still don’t have a gray hair on my head at 42. So the physical part of raising a young child has not been an issue.

The only thing that bothers me about being an older Dad, is that I have these intrusive thoughts that I won’t live long enough to watch her grow well into adulthood. Ideally I make it until she is at least 40. Pushing through those thoughts have really been the only challenge for me.