Once you get married, it is only natural to begin thinking of having children. Thus, you have to question at what age you want to have kids.  And even if it weren't natural, you'd have an easier time dodging raindrops during a hurricane than you would dodging that question from all interested parties (read: future grandparents, future aunts, etc.).  The funny thing I've found through parenthood is asking that question is sort of like asking a runner what minute he wants to run a marathon. 

The reality is it has little to do with what age you want to have kids. The more appropriate question is what 5 to 10 year period are you okay with putting all your personal goals and priorities on the back burner's back burner. Sure, you are still human. You still have wants and needs. And you are free to tend to all of those ....right after you get the kids off to school, go to work, come home, play with your kids, cook dinner, clean up from dinner, do bath time, and get the kids to sleep....and right before your 10 week old wakes up for his middle of the night feeding.  So, there you go, buddy.   Free time. Enjoy it. Soak it in. You can use those 37 minutes per day to do whatever your heart desires. Oh, but try to squeeze in paying the bills, mowing the lawn, fixing the sink, and resting during that time as well.

I know what you are thinking - those are small day to day things. What about the big picture?  Well, I'm glad you asked.  In the big picture, children affect every macro decision you make. When you have dependents, you need a job with good benefits. With more people running around, you need a bigger house. That house needs to be in a good school zone.  Speaking of school, you'd better crank up that college fund. There is no longer room for frivolity.  Staying out late at a sports bar to watch the big game? Your 3 year-old alarm clock wakes up by 6am no matter when you go to bed. Keeping the romance alive in your marriage? Ahhh, nothin' says lovin' like a dinner date featuring a kids' menu and a bed with an 18-inch wide Nap Nanny in the middle of it.  That's okay, you can always go on a romantic getaway, right? Wrong. Vacations now consist of visiting one side of the family or the other so your kids get to see their grandparents.  So, there you have it. The only big picture you have now is the one on the side of your fridge that your toddler drew.

Oh well, so your day to day no longer belongs to you and your big picture is a giant crayon scribble. At least you have your health.  I'm sorry, you HAD your health. Now, the lack of sleep, increased stress, and endless supply of "kid food" you've been eating have now caught up to you. The only offset to this is the healing power of you child's laughter and the exercise you get in while playing with your kids. But, let's face it, if running down a 3 year-old in a heated game of hide and seek is considered exercise to you, you didn't have much health going into this parenting thing anyway. The only good thing is your health is largely irrelevant.  Statistically speaking, having a sick child is precisely 700 times worse than being sick yourself.  That said, considering Amelia's asthma problems....we've gone through the equivalent of me being sick for 400 years.

Now, before anyone jumps on me for being so negative. Let me say, I looooove my kids. Hell, I love your kids. Kids are the single greatest thing on the planet. If you don't think so, have a conversation with a 3 year-old. They are hilarious. If the joy of a child doesn't make you forget your problems or the dreams of a child don't inspire you about the possibility of the future, you're missing the point of life. I encourage everyone to have kids. Sure, you can have more freedom and money without them. Yes, you can travel more and lead a more adventurous life. But, without children, there is an entire range of emotion you can't replicate. You can't fully know responsibility because you have a dog.  You can't fully know family because you have a sibling. And you can't fully know love because you found your soul mate. The truth is, having kids is likely the greatest thing many of us ever do. I simply chose not to write about the great side of parenting because plenty of people will tell you all about it.  I only wanted to point out having kids isn't about an age, its about an era. You may already know it is a job 24/7/365...I want to make sure you don't forget, for the first few years anyways, it is actually a job 60/60/24/7/365.