How will age affect my parenting?

There seem to be as many pros as cons to being an older parent as there are to being a younger parent.

When you have developed a comfortable routine to your life, have nurtured a certain independence and freedom in your relationship and career, the 24 hour a day responsibility of caring for a baby can come as a shock. Also, because most women earn more at 35 or 40 than they did at 25, there may be a sizeable drop in income if you are planning to be a stay-at-home parent. The break in your career, or even dividing your energies between work and family, can prevent you reaching the career pinnacles you once aimed for. Also, as you age, your stamina and energy decrease, so you may find the demands of your baby very tiring.

On the other hand, you might be a more confident parent simply because of the experience and position you have earned for yourself till now. You might have a more secure financial state, stable relationship, and an accomplished career to look back on. So, you're probably more confident and relaxed at this age than you were 10 or 15 years ago - a big plus for motherhood. As one mother put it: "I am better off financially now than when I was younger, which lessens the anxiety level and enables me to be more relaxed with the baby. At the same time, material standards are less important to me now than when I was younger and I feel freer to give my energies to the baby rather than worrying too much, for instance, about what I look like."

Babycenter