There’s a joy to fatherhood no matter when someone has a child, but many Americans are waiting longer. Research shows the percentage of married men having children at 40 or older has nearly tripled over the past two decades, from 5 percent in 1984 to 14 percent in 2004…

A couple of reasons stand out for older men fathering children, said Dr. Mohit Khera, a professor of urology at Baylor University.

The first is divorce, after which some men remarry younger women and start a second family.

The second is a general trend toward waiting until midlife - when educational goals have been attained and a career started - before marrying and fathering children…

“Children benefit from a parent who has a sense of self, who made mistakes and grew and as a result he can help a child grow up happy and confident,” Mandel said. “He knows the route.”

Additionally, today’s older fathers are more physically fit than men in their 40s a generation ago, she said. They can still expend the energy needed to cart around a toddler…

Rogers, 51, said children benefit from parents who are able to mentor more than discipline. That ability often comes with age.

“You can have rich discussions and meaningful bonding with fathers in their later ages,” he said. “You can relate on many levels because you’ve been there.”

And yet, being there for the long haul may be biggest question older dads worry over. That is, whether they will live long enough to witness their children’s major milestones: high school and college graduation, marriages and the birth of a grandchild…

Source: Stockton Record, CA
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071023/A_LIFE/710230307