Disclaimer - This thread is meant for positive discussion. If a heated debate about generation cutoffs occurs because of it, I will lock it myself

I made a thread relating to this subject on Personality Cafe a little while back and thought it would make for an interesting discussion topic on this site.
I know the common belief on this site is that the average age for parenthood is 30, but according to these statistics, it's not the case. There's also the notion that Boomers raised Gen Y and Gen X raised Gen Z, but while that's mostly true, it wouldn't be an exact average, as Younger Millennials are actually more likely to have Gen X parents.
I looked up a chart for the average mother's age and the average age gap between parents since 1960 or earlier and decided to put this all into this thread to determine which generation would've parented which. Also, the average father's age is a rough estimate determined by the age gap between bride and groom by year, and I'm sure it's not completely accurate, but I wasn't able to find any statistics for median father's age, and I feel the estimates I give for them are not too far off. The median mother's ages, however, are reliable, since they are given by source.

1960
Median Mother's Age
1st Born = 22.0
2nd Born = 24.2
3rd Born = 26.9
Etimated Median Father's Age
1st Born = 24.5
2nd Born = 26.7
3rd Born = 29.4
Average = 1930-1938 (Silent Generation)

1965
Median Mother's Age
1st Born = 22.2
2nd Born = 24.4
3rd Born = 27.3
Estimated Median Father's Age
1st Born = 24.4
2nd Born = 26.6
3rd Born = 29.5
Average = 1935-1943 (Silent Generation)

1970
Median Mother's Age
1st Born = 22.3
2nd Born = 25.0
3rd Born = 27.7
Estimated Median Father's Age
1st Born = 24.7
2nd Born = 27.4
3rd Born = 30.1
Average = 1939-1948 (Late Silents & Very Early Boomers)

1975
Median Mother's Age
1st Born = 22.7
2nd Born = 25.8
3rd Born = 28.2
Estimated Median Father's Age
1st Born = 25.1
2nd Born = 28.2
3rd Born = 30.6
Average = 1944-1953 (Early Baby Boomers)

1980
Median Mother's Age
1st Born = 23.3
2nd Born = 26.3
3rd Born = 28.4
Estimated Median Father's Age
1st Born = 26.0
2nd Born = 29.0
3rd Born = 31.1
Average = 1948-1957 (Baby Boomers)

1985
Median Mother's Age
1st Born = 23.9
2nd Born = 26.9
3rd Born = 28.7
Estimated Median Father's Age
1st Born = 26.1
2nd Born = 29.1
3rd Born = 30.9
Average = 1954-1962 (Generation Jones)

1990
Median Mother's Age
1st Born = 24.1
2nd Born = 27.2
3rd Born = 28.9
Estimated Median Father's Age
1st Born = 26.3
2nd Born = 29.4
3rd Born = 31.1
Average = 1958-1966 (Jones & Very Early Gen X)

1995
Median Mother's Age
1st Born = 24.2
2nd Born = 27.5
3rd Born = 29.3
Estimated Median Father's Age
1st Born = 26.6
2nd Born = 29.9
3rd Born = 31.7
Average = 1963-1971 (Early Generation X)

2000
Median Mother's Age
1st Born = 24.9
2nd Born = 27.7
3rd Born = 29.2
Estimated Median Father's Age
1st Born = 26.6
2nd Born = 29.4
3rd Born = 30.9
Average = 1969-1976 (Generation X)



So roughly;

Born 1960-1965 = Raised by the Silent Generation
Born 1965-1970 = Raised by the Silent Generation
Born 1970-1975 = Raised by War Babies & Post-War Boomers
Born 1975-1980 = Raised by Baby Boomers
Born 1980-1985 = Raised by Baby Boomers
Born 1985-1990 = Raised by Generation Jones
Born 1990-1995 = Raised by Baby Busters
Born 1995-2000 = Raised by Generation X

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/statab/t991x05.pdf
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr51/nvsr51_01.pdf
http://digg.com/2017/average-age-marriage-chart

Now you know this thread is gonna get locked.

Now you know this thread is gonna get locked.


I put a disclaimer in.
I made this thread for positive discussion, if it becomes heated, I will lock it myself.

YIKES @ having kids at 22-24. And that's just the median :o I'm guessing teen pregnancy has a lot to do with this shocking statistic.

My mom had me when she was 26 (1966) and I thought that was really young, haha. My dad was 35 (1957).

YIKES @ having kids at 22-24. And that's just the median :o I'm guessing teen pregnancy has a lot to do with this shocking statistic.

My mom had me when she was 26 (1966) and I thought that was really young, haha. My dad was 35 (1957).

My mom born in 1973 had my older brother when she was 20. My dad was 24.

I thought the average age parents have children is 30? I'm sure you know Captain median is not the same as average/mean.

My mom born in 1973 had my older brother when she was 20. My dad was 24.


Your mom is the same age as my youngest aunt on my mom's side. She was probably 22 1/2 or 23 when I was born, so I'm about to hit the same age as your mom when I was born  :o

My Mother who is Generation X raised my brother who was born in 1997, Me and My sister who we all are Gen Z although my brother could be considered as a Y/Z cusp. And my mother was 19 when she had my brother.

YIKES @ having kids at 22-24. And that's just the median :o I'm guessing teen pregnancy has a lot to do with this shocking statistic.

My mom had me when she was 26 (1966) and I thought that was really young, haha. My dad was 35 (1957).

My mother was born in 1978 and had my brother when she was 19.

My mother was born in 1978 and had my brother when she was 19.


I can't imagine having kids at that age  :o

I thought the average age parents have children is 30? I'm sure you know Captain median is not the same as average/mean.


The mean/average first-time mother's age in the US would've been 26-27 in the 1990s when we were born. The father's mean/average I'm not able to find, but I believe it was around 28-29.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr51/nvsr51_01.pdf

I guess this is one of the few ways Canada and the US are culturally different. The median age of first birth in Canada is 28.6 years old as of 2011, which is an age I would expect most first time mothers to be :P

24 is a bit young but not that surprising. Anything below that though raises my eyebrows :P I guess it's because I'm 25 and only started earning decent money two years ago at 23. I couldn't imagine having a kid straight afterwards. Itwould be extremely difficult to provide for them when you're still working on your educational/career aspirations.

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-630-x/11-630-x2014002-eng.htm

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-630-x/2014002/c-g/c-g02-eng.gif

I can't imagine having kids at that age  :o


That would actually suck.

Perhaps socioeconomics plays a factor in these statistics. I'd imagine in more upper-middle class households, the average age of childbirth (for first time mothers) would be around the mid-late 20s, while for the youngest children would be about one's early-mid 30s. Where I live in the Northeast the average (and keep in mind, I'm generalizing, but from what I've observed) age of parents of friends and peers around my age (lets say those born from 1995-1997) is closer to something like 1959-1968 borns. That's the epitome of Generation Jones right there, along with the prime cohort of 'Brat Packers' as well.

However, based on an median/average of statistics that applies to ALL families in the U.S, apparently the average is closer to something like 1963-1971 borns, which is a bit odd to me. I guess I could see maybe 1971 borns being possible parents for people my age, but from what I've seen is that is more so the exception to have parents born after 1970, rather than the rule. The same logic applies with having parents born prior to 1959/1958. I guess the sweet spot would be those born in the 1960s, or simply born from 1964-1966.

This is just for my area though, I can't take into account other areas of the country, let alone the world, on how different parenting trends could be.

I guess this is one of the few ways Canada and the US are culturally different. The median age of first birth in Canada is 28.6 years old as of 2011, which is an age I would expect most first time mothers to be :P

24 is a bit young but not that surprising. Anything below that though raises my eyebrows :P I guess it's because I'm 25 and only started earning decent money two years ago at 23. I couldn't imagine having a kid straight afterwards. Itwould be extremely difficult to provide for them when you're still working on your educational/career aspirations.

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-630-x/11-630-x2014002-eng.htm

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-630-x/2014002/c-g/c-g02-eng.gif
I told you the Americans start families younger.  Like what Zeldafan said having it depends on socioeconomic status, if you grew up in a low-income environment you tend to have children younger than those who are middle or upper class. You are starting to see people have children later in life like I'm seeing a lot of older people still raising young children in their 50s and 60s. I couldn't imagine changing diapers in my 50s lol and this is coming from someone who was raised by an older mom.

My Parents were born in The 1940's so My Mother had me in 1973 when she was 28.

My Parents were born in The 1940's so My Mother had me in 1973 when she was 28.
I thought you were born in 74.

I thought you were born in 74.


I meant I was conceived in 1973.

Your mom is the same age as my youngest aunt on my mom's side. She was probably 22 1/2 or 23 when I was born, so I'm about to hit the same age as your mom when I was born  :o

I have a sister that was born in the same year as you but she was born in October, so she was in the C/O 2015.

I have a sister that was born in the same year as you but she was born in October, so she was in the C/O 2015.

Both of my parents were born in the early 70s (1971) my oldest brother was born in November 1997, my sister was born in February 2000, then I was born in August 2002, & my youngest sister was born in June 2010.

Both of my parents were born in the early 70s (1971) my oldest brother was born in November 1997, my sister was born in February 2000, then I was born in August 2002, & my youngest sister was born in June 2010.

My dad was born in 1969 and my mom was born in 1973. My older brother was born in December 1993, my sister was born in October 1996, and I was born in June 2002.  ;D

My parents were both born in 1954. They were 36 when I was born. My mother's daughters were born in June 1972 and June 1973 and my father's daughter was born in January 1980.

My sister born in 1973 had children born in 1990, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, and 2006, making my mom a grandparent at 36. My oldest nephew and I are two weeks apart in age.

Both of my parents were born in 1965.

My Father was born in 1941 and My Mother, 1945.

My Mom: October 1975
My Dad: August 1977
Me: September 2004
My Sister: October 2008

Sooooo, my sister and I (Gen Zers) are raised by Gen Xers.  :)

My Mom: October 1975
My Dad: August 1977
Me: September 2004
My Sister: October 2008

Sooooo, my sister and I (Gen Zers) are raised by Gen Xers.  :)
Oh wow, with parent those ages I figured you'll be the baby, I guess it's a common thing for Gen Xers to have kids.

My Mom: October 1975
My Dad: August 1977
Me: September 2004
My Sister: October 2008

Sooooo, my sister and I (Gen Zers) are raised by Gen Xers.  :)

I was raised by a Gen Xer too, my mom was born in 1978, while my older brother was born in 1997 and my sister 2006.