How Childhood Shapes Fertility; The Housing Theory of Spousal Age Gaps; Why Dads With Breadwinning Wives Won’t Take Paternity Leave; Turns Out Siblings Aren’t Bad for (Firstborn) Kids + more.
The case for having a baby in college makes sense when you consider that 'crunch time' for establishing your career mostly happens in your early to late twenties. This is the time when young professionals can prove themselves, make key relationships, get on a 'partner' track (or not), and generally point their careers in a direction for success. Which is not to say there aren't second chance in life, but if you've hit age 30 without some significant career achievements you'll have a very hard time being considered for the highest paying, most demanding career track jobs.
In comparison, how you do in college is relatively unimportant.
As the first of eight siblings, I think about birth order and outcomes a ton. There's a 20 yr gap between myself and my youngest sibling, and it's interesting to see how different the paths of the oldest siblings have been relative to the youngest. Anyway, fascinating stuff!
I can totally see how the “having a baby in college” works out like that. I met my husband in grad school, got my MSc and then worked 2 years in a software engineering job. By all accounts it was going extremely well until I heard the clock ticking. I’m now 31 and have been out of work for several years. I’m done child bearing now, am at my desired family size, but I also have zero career progress now. I probably CAN get back in, but I’ll be starting from scratch. I’ll never catch up like that.
I think the best time to have kids career wise is probably before you started it, and when you are already fairly accomplished and have contacts, a lengthy resume and several achievements to point to. Your income is probably quite high at that point. You have some leverage at work to, say, WFH X days a week to be near your baby if you want (if that works for your field, that is). Hire a nanny, even. Or temporarily go part time, all without permanently compromising your progression. If I want to make a lot of money now, starting a business and hopping it does extremely well is probably easier than expecting to work at FAANG or X because I’m simply not young enough to be given that chance anymore.
I think I'm with you! Like if you can hack it/afford it, it seems like having kids in college/before you even start your career has some advantages. And then if not that, then waiting til you have a solid footing to leverage. I feel like work is most childrearing hostile in the early part when you are an underling...
The case for having a baby in college makes sense when you consider that 'crunch time' for establishing your career mostly happens in your early to late twenties. This is the time when young professionals can prove themselves, make key relationships, get on a 'partner' track (or not), and generally point their careers in a direction for success. Which is not to say there aren't second chance in life, but if you've hit age 30 without some significant career achievements you'll have a very hard time being considered for the highest paying, most demanding career track jobs.
In comparison, how you do in college is relatively unimportant.
Nikki Glaser has a bit about how she should had a baby in high school, she wasn’t that busy!
As the first of eight siblings, I think about birth order and outcomes a ton. There's a 20 yr gap between myself and my youngest sibling, and it's interesting to see how different the paths of the oldest siblings have been relative to the youngest. Anyway, fascinating stuff!
CLASSIC first-born behavior. (jk jk)
LOL!
I can totally see how the “having a baby in college” works out like that. I met my husband in grad school, got my MSc and then worked 2 years in a software engineering job. By all accounts it was going extremely well until I heard the clock ticking. I’m now 31 and have been out of work for several years. I’m done child bearing now, am at my desired family size, but I also have zero career progress now. I probably CAN get back in, but I’ll be starting from scratch. I’ll never catch up like that.
I think the best time to have kids career wise is probably before you started it, and when you are already fairly accomplished and have contacts, a lengthy resume and several achievements to point to. Your income is probably quite high at that point. You have some leverage at work to, say, WFH X days a week to be near your baby if you want (if that works for your field, that is). Hire a nanny, even. Or temporarily go part time, all without permanently compromising your progression. If I want to make a lot of money now, starting a business and hopping it does extremely well is probably easier than expecting to work at FAANG or X because I’m simply not young enough to be given that chance anymore.
I think I'm with you! Like if you can hack it/afford it, it seems like having kids in college/before you even start your career has some advantages. And then if not that, then waiting til you have a solid footing to leverage. I feel like work is most childrearing hostile in the early part when you are an underling...