olderdadyoungerchild

“Your granddaughter is adorable!”

Have you ever fielded that compliment – from someone who is talking about your young daughter?

Welcome to Older Dads/Younger Children.

In this day and age, there are plenty of us out there:

People who decided to have children later in life; survivors of previous childless marriages, and single women who wish for the joy of children in their life without all the fancy trappings.

There are even plenty of people out there who are raising a child’s child.

But Older Dads/Younger Children is especially for people who fall into just that category: You’re older, he or she is much younger.

Of course, it’s not an exclusive club.

In fact, other people are certainly welcome – make that encouraged – to read and enjoy our experiences.

* * *

First, let’s get the formalities out of the way.

My name is Charlie Walker. My lovely wife Andrea and I were married in 2005.

In 2007, we welcomed Emmalee into our world.

She was the first – and only – child for either of us.

I was 49 years old. Andrea was 32.

We live in a modest home in an energetic small town.

Up until recently, I was employed as an editor and writer for a B2B publications/communications company. When the company was forced to cut costs, seven people – including me – received our walking papers.

I wasn’t making a lot of money – but enough to make me an easy target for the axe.

There are plenty of fathers out there who find themselves in this uncomfortable position: Suddenly unemployed, our role as breadwinner reduced to crumbs.

That’s only a small part of this story.

The Older Dads/Younger Children web site will recount the ups and downs of men who find ourselves to be fathers, later in life.

There are many, many advantages we share in our later-in-life child-rearing experiences.

Some our funny. Some show the advantage that wisdom – wisdom that comes with life experience – can have.

There are also drawbacks, but they are far outweighed by the joy that fills this very special time in our lives.

I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It makes me who I am and defines my life and future; it makes my wife and me who we are and forges a special bond in our own relationship.

***

I plan to post to this site when I have time and the spirit moves me.

I hope that is on a somewhat regular basis, but I can’t make any promises.

“Life is what happens to you when you’re making other plans … “ – words from John Lennon’s song, “Beautiful Boy.”

Lennon was one of us. He stayed at home to raise his son Sean.

When he went back into the recording studio, he created the masterpiece album, “Double Fantasy,”
which includes “Beautiful Boy” and other songs that grew out of his experiences as a stay-at-home, older Dad.

But for us, it remains:

“Your granddaughter is adorable!”

“Aren’t grandchildren wonderful?”

Maybe someday.

But today, and tomorrow, and for many days beyond then, I will be savoring the joy found in every minute of being an Older Dad with a Younger Child.