The effects and consequences of older parenthood

Support for LAist comes from

Become a sponsor

Podcasts Take Two

Dec 13, 2012

Listen • 7:23

The effects and consequences of older parenthood

Birth rates in the U.S. have been falling in the midst of the recession, except among one demographic: People over 40.There is much to be said for starting a family at an older age, parents are more likely to be financially and emotionally prepared to have kids.

Cover of the Dec. 2012 issue of The New Republic.

Birth rates in the U.S. have been falling in the midst of the recession, except among one demographic: People over 40.There is much to be said for starting a family at an older age, parents are more likely to be financially and emotionally prepared to have kids.

Birth rates in the U.S. have been falling in the midst of the recession, except among one demographic: People over 40.

There is much to be said for starting a family at an older age, parents are more likely to be financially and emotionally prepared to have kids. But there are definitely negative effects as well, and mostly a lot of unknown consequences.

Judith Shulevitz wrote about these issues for this month's cover story in the New Republic called "How Older Parenthood Will Upend American Society: The Scary Consequences Of The Grayest Generation."