Society has long dictated what the “ideal” age for parenting should be, but these rules are outdated, rooted in old biological models, and fail to account for the complexities of human growth. Parenting is not simply a biological function; it is a deeply psychological and emotional experience. If anything, entering parenthood at 40 may provide an unparalleled advantage, offering wisdom, patience, and self-awareness that younger parents may not yet possess.

But despite these strengths, the guilt surrounding “older” parenthood is persistent. It is an undercurrent in conversations, in sideways glances, in well-meaning but intrusive remarks about “keeping up” with younger parents. It is often self-inflicted, driven by the subtle fear of not being around long enough, of somehow depriving your child of an imagined, alternative version of you—one........

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