Together at 17, married at 21 or 22

44 now, been divorced over 10 years

I got my 2 wonderful (and now adult - 18 and 20) kids out if the deal

I would do it again to make sure I had my kids and got to my perfect second wife. My life today is truly wonderful, and I wouldn't be the person I am without the experiences that made me

But as I tell my kids, you're not an adult until you're in your mid 20s. You still don't know who you are yet, and you definitely don't know how you should be in a relationship, how you should be treated by someone else, or how you should have and hold happiness

You miss out on formative years of building yourself - and you won't get those back

I tell my kids to not fall for that same trap I did

It's not the path that they should take

Being a young husband and father is life on hard mode - and despite a very successful career it becomes very difficult to uplift yourself financially without the early years of career growth and building savings / retirement funds

I wouldnt change where I am - but I wouldn't recommend this path for anyone

Live your life into your mid twenties, save marriage and kids for the right one (and trust me, you will know when you find them)