Additional Coverage:
- I had my daughter at 44. I’m sometimes mistaken for her grandmother, but it was the right time for me. (businessinsider.com)
Becoming a mother at 44 was right for me, but it comes with a unique set of challenges and joys. The most poignant challenge is the awareness of my own mortality.
I know I may have less time with my daughter than younger parents. This knowledge underscores every moment we share, making them even more precious.
While I’m often the oldest mom at the playground, and sometimes mistaken for grandma (ouch!), my age brings valuable benefits. My life experience allows me to patiently answer my daughter’s endless questions and explore the world with renewed curiosity.
The career I built over decades affords me the flexibility to prioritize my family, a luxury I didn’t have in my younger years. And while perimenopause has its challenges, they pale in comparison to the joy of rediscovering the world through my daughter’s eyes, from lizard-watching to impromptu dance parties.
I strive to teach my daughter the importance of living in the present. Rather than chasing eternal youth, I focus on cultivating kindness and appreciating each moment.
These are lessons motherhood has reinforced for me, lessons my younger, child-free self hadn’t fully grasped. While I can’t control the future, I can savor every moment with my daughter, and in doing so, give her the best of me.