There’s a special kind of happiness found in the playground — the pure, unfiltered joy of running, climbing, and playing without a care. But as the years pass, that boundless energy naturally gives way to a quieter kind of strength: grounded wisdom. The secret to truly embracing both? Starting early.
When I was 14, my neighbor Jason used
to wave to me from his porch while his two young kids ran circles around him. He was in his early 30s — laughing, chasing them, and somehow still had the energy to run and jump about in the playground.
One day, he said something I didn’t fully understand at the time: “I’m glad I started early. I still have the knees for this.” I laughed, thinking it was just a joke about aging. But a year later, I began to feel the tiniest signs of my own body slowing down, and his words hit me differently. I found myself wondering: Why not start having kids earlier?
Having kids when you’re younger isn’t about “getting it over with” — it’s about having the energy, stamina, and yes, the biological advantage. Your body is more fertile, the chances of conception are higher, and the risks during pregnancy are generally lower. But beyond biology, there’s the reality: when you have kids earlier, you get more good years to run, wrestle, and play with them. You can carry them on your shoulders without wincing, race them down the street without worrying about your back, and stay awake for late-night talks without feeling like you’ve run a marathon.
Fast forward 16 years: Jason’s kids are grown, and he’s only in his 40's — still young enough to travel with them, and join them on adventures that would exhaust many parents at that age. He enjoyed their childhood with strength, and now he gets to enjoy their adulthood with freedom. That’s the gift of starting earlier: more time, more energy, and more of life shared together.
Give your future kids a chance to grow up with your energy beside them — and give yourself the years to truly do life together.