How old is Too old to Father Children in Thailand?

[MaeJoMTB]

I think that the best reason to not father children after 50 years old is the big risk in having a baby with some kind of mental disorder....even if the problem can be tested during pregnancy, and may have time to do something about.

Why would you think a man over 50 would have more chance of fathering a child with a mental disorder?

[richard_smith237]

This is a difficult and multifaceted topic...

I see older guys (i.e. 50+) with infant children, I'm not sure if they are the father or the grandfather - in most cases what I do see is a loving connection. However, in some cases I see both older and younger guys parenting their child in a terrible, careless almost non-interested manner... This I think is terrible.

Thus, I would suggest that while I don't necessarily agree that older males should be fathering children (for many of the reasons already discussed on this thread), those who truly want children will be good parents.... I wouldn't wish to take the joys of parenthood away from those to truly appreciate them....

It seems we are really discussing a level of responsibility... I'm currently 40 years old with an infant son, I'm very happy, but I wouldn't want an infant child when I'm 60 years old as it would take too much effort and work, thus I'd try and make decisions I feel are responsible. But, in this example I have no wish to project my opinions on others... Perhaps poor people shouldn't have kids, gays, alcoholics etc etc... where do we draw the line ? If people want children and can take care of their child into adulthood then I believe we have no right to judge.

[cms22]

I am 47. I am divorced with two children from first marriage. In my second marriage I also have two children: one aged five and the newest aged three months. I am fit as a fiddle, with a good job (and I know I need the money!), and all my four children see each other regularly. My ex-wife and new wife even seem to get along OK. Couldn't ask for more.

[tcris52]

What a load of crap some uneducated idiots on here profess to know about who should have a life.

My son is almost nine he is the center of my life, i love him beyond the value of my own life.

He is loved within our family and has many friends in and out of school.

Who the hell are these brain dead idiots who state his life should have been discouraged.

I spend most of my time with him teaching him safety and the basic core values of living a life full of

enjoyment, respect of others and a continuous education to enhance his knowledge.

He could not have a better chance to blossom into a young man that wlll credit the human race.

I am 74 with as good a chance of being around for the next 10--12 years as any other guy.

By then he will be a man, so all you idiots with an opinion to the contrary......SOD OFF

And with this I unfollow this topic.

If you have to insult people whose opinions are different than yours, don't call me uneducated or brain dead. Try not to pass this attitude on to your son.

[frollywolly]

I think that the best reason to not father children after 50 years old is the big risk in having a baby with some kind of mental disorder....even if the problem can be tested during pregnancy, and may have time to do something about.

Why would you think a man over 50 would have more chance of fathering a child with a mental disorder?

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/feb/26/children-older-men-mental-illness-fathers-school

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/children-with-older-dads-at-greater-mental-illness-risk/

[MaeJoMTB]

Prior to coming here, my US wife was beyond child-bearing age. Came here divorced at 62 and the first thing on the agenda was a vasectomy. The woman I ended up marrying has 2 girls that I care about and want to see grow up for as long as I'm here. I have no need or desire for any more children (I have one 40-year-old son in the US).

Just the thought of wheezing, coughing and stumbling as I try to play with my 5-year-old kid is not appealing.

I supposed if you're one of the elderly who married a "child", she may want a kid. Good luck with that.

Speak for yourself mate, absolutely no reason to be infirm at your age.

Yesterday I cycled 60Km (30k of that off road), just need one of those 'follow on' bikes for the kid and he can come too.

[MaeJoMTB]

I think that the best reason to not father children after 50 years old is the big risk in having a baby with some kind of mental disorder....even if the problem can be tested during pregnancy, and may have time to do something about.

Why would you think a man over 50 would have more chance of fathering a child with a mental disorder?

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/feb/26/children-older-men-mental-illness-fathers-school

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/children-with-older-dads-at-greater-mental-illness-risk/

Sounds like eugenics research to me.

Not credible.

[lifeincnx]

Wrong forum

MOVED to Insanity

[Doc46]

I'm 60 and with a 3 year old son, no need to work ever again, I have plenty of money.

Happy to have one or two more.

How many men get divorced with kids under 18 and never see their children again?

What's the difference?

Very true ,,,But sad,,,

[Spaniel]

If on US Social Security after 62+ years old, 2 children can receive 50% of your benefit ( each child ). Nearly doubles benefit.

Better than a sharp stick in the eye and you can still work.

I would like to add that, that benefit ends when the child turns 18, 19 if still in high school.

[seancbk]

Either Troll post or a total moron who thinks his own values are unchallengeable

Everyone has their own values.

To me it doesn't matter where someone lives, having kids should be based on 1) Are the parents under 35 and are they wealthy enough to give the kid a good life.

The older you are the more chance of genetic defects and, more importantly, the greater the chance that you leave your kid(s) fatherless at a young age and for the record dying before your kids reach 30 is too soon even if you are rich enough to leave them well looked after.

Personally I think we should be encouraging people to not have kids. It definitely shouldn't be a human right.

[Thaijack2014]

I think everybody should know what he is doing. Some men can be a good father at old age and some young men are definitely not good for their children.

Unfortunately, in spite that I care for my two adult daughters, I know I have never been a good father to them. Now I'm 57. My girlfriend is a mother to two sons, who don't live with her. Both we decided that we didn't want children again. Both of us are too selfish and consider us as bad parents. She too loves her boys, but wouldn't want to have them live with us. Heck, we even are bad grandparents!

So, in my opinon, just looking at the age is wrong. Look at the people. I like the comment: better to be a good father for a short period of time then a bad father for long period.

[rayongchelsea]

Having lost both parents when young it's simply not a good idea. Secondly many of the wives don't seem to be particularly financially savvy so any financial protections put in place will not last long. Thirdly why have children and then have them educated in the village school, the education can be a complete mess. Fourthly she could remarry given the age differences and the children could be disenfranchised by the future spouse.There are to many improbables, no one can predict the future..one can't but feel sorry for the children even if they are loved, with good parents.

[MaeJoMTB]

Either Troll post or a total moron who thinks his own values are unchallengeable

Everyone has their own values.

To me it doesn't matter where someone lives, having kids should be based on 1) Are the parents under 35 and are they wealthy enough to give the kid a good life.

The older you are the more chance of genetic defects and, more importantly, the greater the chance that you leave your kid(s) fatherless at a young age and for the record dying before your kids reach 30 is too soon even if you are rich enough to leave them well looked after.

Personally I think we should be encouraging people to not have kids. It definitely shouldn't be a human right.

Alternatively,

The younger a guy is the more likely he is to pass on gross physical genetic defects.

Susceptibility to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc.

"However, the offspring of older men, though less attractive, are likely to outlive their peers with younger fathers, it is claimed.

Professor Lee Smith, a geneticist at Edinburgh University, told the Sunday Times other research found such children have longer telomeres - the caps on the end of chromosomes - which are associated with longer life."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2587223/Whos-daddy-And-old-Children-born-older-fathers-likely-ugly-live-longer.html

"Delaying fatherhood may offer survival advantages, say US scientists who have found children with older fathers and grandfathers appear to be "genetically programmed" to live longer."

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-18392873

Edited April 24, 2015 by MaeJoMTB

[Beetlejuice]

Either Troll post or a total moron who thinks his own values are unchallengeable

I completely and totally agree with the OP.

I fathered my children in my early 30s, Thai wife of similar age, had the pleasure of watching them become adults, soon to be a granddaddy in fact, and my children had the benefit of an active father.

Becoming a father in your 60s is not fair on the children, plus daddy will probably be gone by the time the kids are in their late teens.

Some old ex-pats believe that money overrides everything, including being there in person to support the children later on in life. In fact seeing old granddaddies with babies and toddlers usually with Thai wives or girlfriends young enough to be their daughters or granddaughters in tow, is an embarrassment.

[thejcb]

about 40

[Blackfox]

What a load of crap some uneducated idiots on here profess to know about who should have a life.

My son is almost nine he is the center of my life, i love him beyond the value of my own life.

He is loved within our family and has many friends in and out of school.

Who the hell are these brain dead idiots who state his life should have been discouraged.

I spend most of my time with him teaching him safety and the basic core values of living a life full of

enjoyment, respect of others and a continuous education to enhance his knowledge.

He could not have a better chance to blossom into a young man that wlll credit the human race.

I am 74 with as good a chance of being around for the next 10--12 years as any other guy.

By then he will be a man, so all you idiots with an opinion to the contrary......SOD OFF

May I ask; is it now that he attends to your needs (you being nearly infirm) that he is the centre of your life?

That's sad saying you have a "good chance of being around for the next 10-12 years"...

You had a kid at over 65. Bugger me...left it a little late don't you think?

How do you really think your kid will feel when his father passes when he's still a teenager. That's the age he most needs you.

Edited April 24, 2015 by Blackfox

[khunPer]

When is old too old...?

Know of a Danish man at age 72 fathered a child with an about 20 year old Thai wife. He had adult kids from previous marriage in his home country – and was financially well (enough) on for “the burden”...

-He actually appeared in a TV-documentary that followed him for a couple of years in Thailand, his wife was about 18 when they got married, a girl from a Northern Tribe.

[TheFishman1]

If your old and heaven knows why you want to father a child Up to you lol

[sir charles IV]

Op fails to consider complexity of being a human. Imposing rules upon people on the basis of age, gender, race etc is simplistic, wrong and those supporting such ideology should never be in position of authority. Hitler said I don't like Jews. Full stop. I'll rid the world of Jews. 70 year old man should not have children. I doubt if the op had the intellectual capacity to comprehend this. Does he? Lol

[Mudcrab]

This shouldn't be about the father it should be about the children.

Ask the original OP question another way........how young should kids be when their father passes away.....5.....10...15????

Don't forget the original OP question had the criterion "in Thailand" attached. This could be very different to say the US or the UK circumstances.

Fair chance a few of the oldies on here will have kids left fatherless at an early age.

Sure you might have a bit of cash put away....but I'd give everything I have to have my Dad back even for a short while.

[asdecas]

You should aim to father as many infants as possible before you turn twenty. That is the gold standard in Thailand, ask any bargirl.

[F4UCorsair]

Either Troll post or a total moron who thinks his own values are unchallengeable

Don't agree. Not fair on a kid if his/her old man can't kick a football, run around with kids, go fishing, etc

Not just irresponsible in my opinion, but grossly selfish.

[NoshowJones]

I'm 60 and with a 3 year old son, no need to work ever again, I have plenty of money.

Happy to have one or two more.

How many men get divorced with kids under 18 and never see their children again?

What's the difference?

So plenty of money is everything is it? What about the "one or two more" when you die.

People like you are so irresponsible.

[rhodie]

The way I see it is I don't care how old my parents are/ were, I would just be happy to be born. Everyone is different. Would you rather not exist. I have many friends who grew up without a father and they are doing fine. No biggots here please.

[NoshowJones]

You certainly make many assumptions in your OP. Is it selfish for a 46 year old first time father and 32 year old first time mother, with adequate income to start a family ?

No, that's not selfish at all. I just don't understand the selfishness of some of those people having kids in their sixties, after already having brought up a family back in Farangland.

[Fullstop]

I remember an interview with George Burns. The ancient cigar smoking comedian. He was asked how it was fathering a baby at the age of 95(?) with his 26 (?) y.o wife. He said something along the lines of "it being great but he has trouble picking the baby up"

[F4UCorsair]

I'm in part agreement with the OP.

There's a guy who lives near me in Hua Hin is 68 and has a 6 month old daughter.

I'm not saying that if you're older you can't be a great dad, but people should consider how fair it is on the child when the father is so old.

I lost one of my parents when I was ten years old, not because of old age, but nonetheless for any child to lose one of their parents is a truly traumatic experience and having a child in your 60s obviously dramatically increases the risk of your son or daughter growing up without a dad for a large part of their childhood.

There's more to it than simply being able to financially support your child.

it's OK to say you've got money in the bank but fatherhood is much more than that.

Well expressed with a personal example and goes to the crux of my point.

Money and financial stability is only one of the pieces.

68 is far too old to be having a child. The chances of disease and health problems increase dramatically.

Consider the animal kingdom.

Males fight and the stronger/winner gets to pass on his genes. Females want the stronger lineage, and a good chance of being duffed after the first encounter.

Draw from that a man in his 60's doesn't pass on genes as strong as a man in his 20's. I think it may be part of Darwin's theory involving natural selection, survival of the fittest/strongest.

Part of that is the sperm count of a 60 yo man is a fraction of that of a 20 yo man.

We humans are animals, some of us a higher level than others, but we are, nevertheless, animals.

The partnering for life thing is something foisted on us by churches and society and is not tbe natural way for animals, there being only a handful that do.

Edited April 24, 2015 by F4UCorsair

[sir charles IV]

I'm in part agreement with the OP.

There's a guy who lives near me in Hua Hin is 68 and has a 6 month old daughter.

I'm not saying that if you're older you can't be a great dad, but people should consider how fair it is on the child when the father is so old.

I lost one of my parents when I was ten years old, not because of old age, but nonetheless for any child to lose one of their parents is a truly traumatic experience and having a child in your 60s obviously dramatically increases the risk of your son or daughter growing up without a dad for a large part of their childhood.

There's more to it than simply being able to financially support your child.

it's OK to say you've got money in the bank but fatherhood is much more than that.

Well expressed with a personal example and goes to the crux of my point.

Money and financial stability is only one of the pieces.

68 is far too old to be having a child. The chances of disease and health problems increase dramatically.

Consider the anomal kingdom.

Males fight and stronger/winner gets to pass on his genes. Females want the stronger lineage

Draw from that a man in his 60's doesn't pass on genes as strong as a man in his 20's. I think it may be part of Darwin's theory involving natural selection, survival of the fittest/strongest.

We humans are animals, some of us a higher level than others, but we are, nevertheless, animals.

with all due respect you're an idiot!!!!![emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

[F4UCorsair]

I'm in part agreement with the OP.

There's a guy who lives near me in Hua Hin is 68 and has a 6 month old daughter.

I'm not saying that if you're older you can't be a great dad, but people should consider how fair it is on the child when the father is so old.

I lost one of my parents when I was ten years old, not because of old age, but nonetheless for any child to lose one of their parents is a truly traumatic experience and having a child in your 60s obviously dramatically increases the risk of your son or daughter growing up without a dad for a large part of their childhood.

There's more to it than simply being able to financially support your child.

it's OK to say you've got money in the bank but fatherhood is much more than that.

Well expressed with a personal example and goes to the crux of my point.

Money and financial stability is only one of the pieces.

68 is far too old to be having a child. The chances of disease and health problems increase dramatically.

Consider the anomal kingdom.

Males fight and stronger/winner gets to pass on his genes. Females want the stronger lineage

Draw from that a man in his 60's doesn't pass on genes as strong as a man in his 20's. I think it may be part of Darwin's theory involving natural selection, survival of the fittest/strongest.

We humans are animals, some of us a higher level than others, but we are, nevertheless, animals.

with all due respect you're an idiot!!!!![emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

You've made a claim......support it.