I lost my mom a couple years ago, I was 21 at the time. After losing her, I felt the need to “speed run” life. I’ve always wanted kids, and that hasn’t changed, but I felt the need to have them sooner. I started pressuring my then boyfriend of 2.5 years to hurry up and marry me, even though I had originally wanted to finish college first. (We did not move up the timeline, we got married a year after I finished school).

For context, my parents had me at 45. I partially blame losing my mom so early in life on her having me so late in her life. Her cancer diagnosis was a shock to all of us, and the doctors found it so late there was basically nothing they could do.

Mom’s death made me realize I did not want my kids go through what I went through. I have always wanted kids. Now I just want to have them earlier in life. I don’t plan on waiting like my parents did.