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Groundhog Day hypothetical

Which 8-10 year period would you be the most happy getting stuck into?

  • 6-13 (no worries, just being a kid)

    Votes: 3 10.3%
  • 14-21 (loved those HS & college years)

    Votes: 8 27.6%
  • 22-29 (1st real job, got married, maybe had 1st kid)

    Votes: 8 27.6%
  • 30-40 (finished having kids, established in your career)

    Votes: 5 17.2%
  • 40-50 (kids starting to leave the nest)

    Votes: 2 6.9%
  • 50-60 (maybe you are ready to retire early)

    Votes: 2 6.9%
  • 60+ (your ready to enjoy life, w/ no responsibilities)

    Votes: 1 3.4%

  • Total voters
    29

JonathanW

All-American
Jan 3, 2003
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Which 8-10 year period would you be the most happy getting stuck into?
And no, you can't do things like bet on a bunch of sporting events because you know who won them.
Just talking about your quality of life during that period.

And I realize for YOU, that the comments I have next to each range may not apply to you (e.g. you had kids at 20 instead of 30), still base your answer on the AGE and not the comments.

If you want to be more precise (e.g. 32-37 when first had kids; or 18-21 loved college but hated HS) feel free to add in comments.
 
This time (50) is the best. Kids are old enough to do stuff on their own if they want, some are grown and have their own kids, more free time than ever before, and I'm not broke. Good times.
 
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19-22 years old, 1976-79 my first 3 years in the military and stationed in Frankfort and Hanau Germany. I ran the streets with no real responsibilities other than my oath of service.

A close second would be 1997-2000. Dating and then marrying my wife. Not to say our time after marrying her in 2000 has been bad, on the contrary, we are doing very well together, but when dating we had a lot more fun.
 
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22-29 were incredibly amazing and magical years that are hard for me to say no to, but I don’t think I could wish away my kids, so I guess I’d say now (40-50) but I sure have a shit ton more stress than I ever did.
 
22-29 - I had no responsibilities besides myself. I had successfully completed 2 deployments in Iraq where I saw combat, finished up college, did a lot of drugs (but didn’t get hooked)…it was a chaotic, but good time.

For reference, that would have been 2005-2012.
 
60+ is too broad. I say 60-70. Fewer worries & health likely still good to do things. Too many health things start going wrong 75+ if not before.
 
It's a tossup between 6-13 and 60+

6-13 - Little League baseball. Peanut (that what it was called in Virginia) football. Grandparents were still alive. Dad took us fishing several times a month. Rupp was coaching the Cats. My dad and I would listen in on the radio because only a small handful of games were on TV. Had tons of friends in my age group in the neighborhood and we were always outside, riding bikes, playing football, basketball or softball. I remember our neighbor Mrs Belton, who taught at a school in another town, joining us for an at-bat in a softball game. Turned out she (what we thought was old, but probably in her late 40's) could knock the cover off a softball and was a pretty decent basketball player too. I had a good life as a kid.

60+ - Actually started with retirement at age 56. Had some good "retirement" jobs for a couple of years until we moved to South Florida at 58. We live 2 1/2 miles off the beach and spend a metric shit ton of time there, surf fishing, beach combing, walking reading, and working in a good nap if possible.

Hell, overall, I've had a really good life. If I croaked tonight, I'd have no complaints and consider myself lucky.
 
30's for me. Good job. Wife who I thought at the time cared about me. Had my 2 kids then. Was at/near my physical peak for rec/sports.

I'd probably rank them;
30's
40's (except the last year was one of worst of my life)
6-13 (was ok, for me it was all about playing baseball)
20's (was ok, but took awhile to not feel broke)
14-21 (was ok, but for a shy guy around girls, not the best)
60's (not there yet, but hoping)
50's have absolutely sucked 1/2 way through
 
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