Why Did You Wait So Long to Have Kids? Now Look at Me!

Why Did You Wait So Long to Have Kids? Now Look at Me!

Okay, so let’s talk about it. Parents having kids late. And by late, I mean late-late—like thirties, late thirties, forties, even fifties. Like, bro… what were you waiting for? What was the hold-up? A sign from heaven? A global event? Because I need answers.

Now, don’t get me wrong—I’m not saying older parents are bad or anything, but I am saying they don’t always realize how their timing affects not just them but us, their children. And I’m speaking from experience because, well, my dad had me at 40, and my mom was 24. Not a crazy gap, I know, but the real issue? My parents are currently at an age where their peers are chilling, enjoying life, with grown kids in university or even done with school, some already married with their own families. Meanwhile, my parents? They still have young kids to raise—because after me, my brother came six years later, and then my sister five years after that. And guess who’s stuck in the middle of it all? Me.

The Unpaid, Unappreciated Second Parent

Look, I’m 19. Fresh out of high school. Job-hunting. Figuring life out. Trying to breathe. But instead, I feel like I’ve been recruited—not as a daughter, but as some unpaid second-in-command. I don’t cook much, sure, but I do everything else. I clean. I check on them. I break up fights. I fold their clothes. I remind them to shower and brush their teeth. I help with homework. I make sure they eat. And if I ever dare say “no” or refuse to do something? Ha! Suddenly, I’m the villain. My siblings snitch on me, and now I’m selfish, rude, and a dictator. Excuse me? How am I selfish for just wanting a break?

And don’t even get me started on how my parents see it. If I ever try to explain how I feel—how overwhelming it is to carry all this responsibility at 19—they won’t understand. Instead, they’ll take it as me being ungrateful. Because, at the end of the day, this house, this money, this everything—it’s for us, right? So, in their eyes, my complaints aren’t valid. But man, it’s a lot.

The Silent Struggle

I just want to breathe. I want a job, not just for the money, but for escape. For freedom. So I don’t have to constantly be in the middle of this cycle of responsibility and guilt. So I can have a life outside of playing referee, babysitter, and homework helper. Because right now, it’s unfair.

And I know what some people might say—"But they’re your siblings, you should help out." And yeah, I get that. But there’s a difference between helping out and basically becoming the default second parent just because I’m the oldest and happen to be home. Like, why am I the one carrying all this weight?

And it all circles back to my original point—why didn’t y’all just have kids earlier? If they had, we’d all be grown now helping each other by doing some chores in the house 😡. My parents would be resting, not still raising little ones while approaching retirement. But hey, what can I do? Nothing. I just have to sit in silence, wait for my turn to leave, and hope I don’t fall into the same cycle when I have kids one day.

Final Thoughts

If you’re reading this and you’re thinking about having kids way later in life, just think about what it means—not just for you, but for your future kids. Because someone, somewhere, might end up writing a blog post like this, wondering why you waited so long and why they had to carry so much responsibility when they didn’t ask for it.

Until then, I’ll just keep praying for my exit plan.

Disclaimer:

I do not own any of this pictures 🖼️