Statistically speaking, 40% of children born today are raised without a father. This has nothing to do with age. What else is surprising is that children are less affected by a death of a parent than the divorce of their parents. 75% of teen marriages will end in divorce. The reason I bring this up is because teen marriages are usually the result of a pregnancy.
I always recommend to the youth that you live your life as full as you can before you have children. This is even after you get married. You need to take the time for you two as a couple because once you start having children, the time for a couple goes out the window and the children will be the primary focus of the relationship, meaning the children dictate EVERYTHING.
Having said all that, age plays no part in the ability to parent. Humans are genetically coded to care for their young. Whether they choose to ignore this comes with maturity, because putting yourself first when you have children is no longer an option, which is something most young parents don't understand, but this also applies to older parents.
I do know this, you cannot be a "friend" to your children regardless of how close in age you are. You need to parent them all the way into adulthood. The time for being their friend will come when they are in their 20s because this is when they finally realize they don't know shit and will ask for advice. I think this is lost on today's teenagers, parents try to be their friend and let their teens walk all over them with no respect. This is not how the world works.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
And Amen.
This is probably the best answer :thumbup:thumbup