Chelsea Clinton, 34 and Marc Mezvinsky, 36 got married in 2010. And last week she gave birth to their daughter Charlotte, thrilling first-time grandparents Hillary and Bill.
Delaying parenthood has become more common. The National Center for Health Statistics reported that between 1980 and 2004, the number of women giving birth at age 30 doubled and at age 35, tripled. Reasons to put off having children run the gamut from nurturing a career to coping with a challenging economy. Millennials today are focused on pressing issues like underemployment, huge student loans, and other financial repercussions of the great recession.
If your parents or in-laws are constantly asking when they’re going to be grandparents, you’re not alone. And, in the past, you would have had something in common with Chelsea Clinton.
Haven’t you heard that being a grandparent is the only thing that isn’t overrated? So dragging your heels leaves your Boomer parents with a serious case of grandparent hunger. Maybe it’s about them reconnecting with adult kids, filling the void in retirement, or wanting to give back. Some say a hormonal surge can create feelings of baby lust that speak for a whole generation of wannabe grandmas.
Although reproductive technologies can help couples slow down their biological clock, there’s no magic pill for aging. Some older Boomers are afraid they won’t have enough energy when they’re finally blessed with grandchildren.
It’s true that younger grandparents are often more physically and financially prepared to dote on and enjoy their new playmates. Besides, there are so many ways to help out dual career offspring right off the bat, beginning with childcare and emotional support.
From day one Hillary and Bill Clinton were typical proud grandparents, revealing that “At 7:03 PM on September 26th, we finally met Charlotte. We’re in love.” And just like so many of us, It was one of the happiest moments of their lives.
Eyeing another run for the White House, former Secretary of State Clinton has nevertheless revealed that becoming a grandmother would be her “most exciting title yet.” She reportedly has a grandmother glow that’s fueling her campaign for female empowerment and gender equality around the world: “I think my granddaughter has just as much God-given potential as a boy who was born in that hospital on the same day.”
Some have speculated that Clinton’s granddaughter might make her even more likely to launch a presidential bid. After all, doesn’t she want to be a positive role model for Charlotte?
