​The best age to have a baby is . . .

According to a recent study, older moms are the best moms.

Published in the European Journal of Developmental Psychology, researchers studied more than 6,000 kids and 4,741 moms in Denmark beginning in 1995.

The report found that children born to older moms had fewer behavioural, social, and emotional problems at ages seven and 11. The gap closed by the time the kids reached 15. Older moms also didn’t need to reprimand their kids verbally or physically, indicating they may be more patient, mature and better prepared to raise a child. They were also shown to be happier during and after their pregnancies and have more positive attitudes about becoming parents.

There are definitely other pros to having kids later in life. It gives you more time to become financially stable and to establish a career. You can travel and have time develop a stable relationship with your spouse before settling down together to begin a more family-centred life.

I had my first child at 29 and my second at 30. I was young-ish. I’ll admit, I sometimes run short on patience. I also don’t always have all the answers or know what to do in every situation. I need to think before I act and consult my own mom for advice.

Yet parenting also requires a ton of energy. If I’d started when I was older rather than at age 29, I’m not sure I’d be able to keep up with the physical demands of my day. I play baseball, carry hockey bags, volunteer at my boys’ school, load bikes into my car and then take my kids on bike rides. I organize play dates and host several kids at my house even on short notice. I’m at the grocery store a few times a week—all those trips from the store to the car to the house are exhausting in and of themselves. If I was any older, I’m not sure I’d be able to keep up.

So is there an ideal age to start a family? In your experience, is being an older parent better or is starting young the way to go?