companies paying female employees to freeze eggs?

Well not actually paying them, but paying for the procedure.

I have mixed feelings about this - on the one hand, I do think it's wise to be proactive about one's fertility, but at the same time I would personally prefer a more flexible working environment so a woman wouldn't necessarily have to postpone childbearing for career. As an older mom it sucks knowing I prob. won't be there for as much of my 4th son and daughter's life as I would like and I wonder if people think through what it really means to have a baby at 45-50 years old.

Perk Up: Facebook and Apple Now Pay for Women to Freeze Eggs - NBC News

Very interesting! I think I agree with you. I don't know if they are thinking it through.

On the other hand many women reach menopause very soon in their life, before they know it, they cannot have children.
Many who want to persue a career think they have lots of time to have a family, and then may end up without opportunity to have children.
Of course a more flexible environment would be best, but if it was me I would be thankful to my company for such an option.
My mom gave birth to me at 38 is now 72, of course she has some health issues, but other than thant she has been there for me and helped me with raising my children a lot.
I do dread the moment her condition will deteriorate even more, or loose her but I will cherish the years I had her for the rest of my life...

Agree with you completely, atomic. Both my parents were the youngest children, their parents being in their 40s, then they had me in their 40s. So all but one grandparent died before I was born, the other died when I was 4, and my dad just died this year. My mom has cancer and may die any day...not that I am in touch with her, but it still sucks. I only have my 7 yearsyounger brother, who is a selfish, ungrateful ass (and probably gay, which is fine but he says he never wants kids) and 2 elderly aunts (80s & 90s), in my country. I have 4 cousins who are middle aged but they live in Australia, and I've never met the 3 cousins I have here in Europe, though they are also all middle aged.

I am angry that my parents had me so late, and I'm angry at myself that I don't have kids yet. I am just hoping and praying that science will be able to slow/reverse aging very soon.

Huge (((Hugs))) maiden! 33 is plenty of time! I"m 44 with a 2 year old so I have to admit that it's possible I won't live to see her grow up and certain I won't be as fit/able as I would be in her adulthood.

Thank you atomic. I think you'll be like my 90 year old aunt, she's still going strong and I'm convinced she'll outlive her siblings (she already has 4/6, and she is the eldest). You remind me of her a great deal, she is a very strong and opionated woman but also compassionate - she gave up her youth to nurse her mother.

Also, even if you don't live as long as you hope, your daughter has 4 brothers! I wish I had more siblings.

Aw thank you!

I really resent that I have no siblings. I have half-siblings that are much younger but it isn't the same really. My oldest son is my younger children's godparent so I do like having that working for us. :)

I have 3 much older half sisters that I barely know, and then my bro is 7 years younger and I left home for boarding school at age 12. So I know just how you feel, resentful is the right term! I'd like to have all my kids close together(1-2 years apart) to avoid that. And so they at least have each other even if they dont have cousins.

Are your eldest 2 boys close to each other? How about the relationships between your youngest 3?

My friend/coparent is an only child with an 11 year older half brother and he HATES being an only, and very much resents his mother for it. She's pretty controlling and clingy., too.

I think ~some~ (not all) who have only children do so out of selfishness to some extent and this was true for my dad, who was the driving force between me having no same age siblings. He just wanted to be able to indulge himself all the time. Which is fine, his option of course but he casts a lot of judgement on my family which is not terribly appreciated since I really suffered to ensure his ability to go out to dinner regularly. :giggle:

:agree: totally that the other downside of being an only is the expectation/clinginess. You kind of have to be everything to the parent (if they are not mature enough to understand one of the biggest parts of being a parent is letting your child live their own life.) Again, I am not meaning this to be negative to all parents of only kids, it's just what my experience has been and what I have heard from other only kids. :)

My two older get along all right - they are roommates now and while they do drive each other a little crazy sometimes, they both drop everything to help each other. And my little three are like peas in a pod, so that, I think is all to the good. My older two actually have a very positive relationship with the littlez, more like an uncle of course, but still I feel ok with how it all came out.