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Ask HN: I’m 41 and still unmarried – what should I do?

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Re: Ask HN: I’m 41 and still unmarried – what should I do?

#711

[flagged]

When I posted this, I was mostly interested in hearing what other people tried that had worked. I got some of that - and then a LOT of pop psychology and pop gynecology. I didn't want discouragement, because every single piece of discouragement and feedback I've heard in this channel, I've already heard a hundred times before - and my entire life.

Given that most of the guys I dated asked me out again, I guess being honest and direct isn't a bad thing. Plus, wanting to have children is something I post in my profile and not announce randomly to guys who I just met who don't want to have kids.

Anyway, thanks for the feedback.

p.s. Your post doesn't sound much like something a feminist would write.

Re: Ask HN: I’m 41 and still unmarried – what should I do?

#712

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used to believe this kind of advice. However, I’ve actually spent quite a bit of time working on myself and coming to peace with my life as it is. I think the everything will follow piece is a spiritual bypass that isn’t reflected in reality. There are so many confident, beautiful , career-driven women who are in the same predicament as me. I think that women are learning to take charge in every aspect of their liv…

I have no idea if the following applies to you, so I won't even suggest it might. I'll just share some anecdata. I'm male, married, with two beautiful, clever children and a beautiful, clever wife. The wife has a rich list of ambitions and expectations from life, more and more as time goes on. Model 21st century woman really. She's killing it at work, learning new sports, lifting weights, networking, recently joined…

Have you spoken to your wife about this or gone to therapy together? Is she aware that she is neglecting you?

You’re correct though, it’s about priorities. I’m a corporate lawyer but I always put my husband first because at the end of the line I surely won’t be thinking, “I wish I worked more.” What’s it all for if you don’t have someone to share with.

Re: Ask HN: I’m 41 and still unmarried – what should I do?

#713
post #670

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The first thing that I thought when I read the question is: why did those 120 dates not work out? I know there are plenty of terrible men out there, but there are also plenty of great ones. 120 should be plenty to find a good match, so why was the match not there? My wife is not perfect, and neither am I. We have our flaws, because everybody does. We're not the perfect mate the other would have designed if we had to…

This is a really good question and one people asked me over and over. The reason I didn’t go into it more is because when I wrote this post, I was more curious about discovering strategies or hacks others had personally used to find their partner, especially after initially failing. This is one of the most foreword-thinking, creating online communities solving some of the worlds biggest problems on a global scale. I…

Have you gone to a matchmaker?

While 120 dates sounds like a lot, over 2 years that’s only an average of 5 dates per month. I think it’s a numbers game and you should be meeting like 5 people per week like it’s your second job (this means quick drink after work, and pay for yourself unless you want to see him again). I’m in NYC and this is what I did until I met my now husband; full disclosure I was 33 when we met though so I get that dating is very different at 41.

Regardless, since you desire biological children, you really need to adjust your expectations. You’re not in your 20s and your pool of options is getting smaller— it’s just reality. You listed reasons why you didn’t want a second date with some of these men but I just can’t imagine that Not one of them wasn’t just a nice normal average guy. You are the common denominator.

maybe consider that you’re expecting more than what you can buy in the dating market. You you have to pick from the options you have. It also sounds like you probably need a new accountability buddy; or maybe your perception is skewed and you’re portrayal of these dates is inaccurate. Ultimately, you are at the point that you need to settle for a nice average guy who also wants a family and would also be settling for you.

Lastly, check out this interview with Logan Ury (see link). She's a Google behavioral scientist turned dating coach and director of relationship science at the dating app Hinge. She mentions research shows that only 11% of people feel love at first sight or felt love at first sight with their partner (ie: “spark”). She gives solid advice backed by data.

https://www.npr.org/transcripts/965397828

Re: Ask HN: I’m 41 and still unmarried – what should I do?

#714
post #499

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is not the 60s, but the 70s and the 80s when the other partner is a lot younger. I’m sure a dad can be loving whatever his age is.

You're right, but the bigger picture is that the OP is about to seriously consider using a sperm donor. A 60 year old man with good genes who will provide 10 years of active parenting and an inheritance for the kid is a lot better than a sperm donor who will provide nothing. As for looking after him in his old age; she should screen for 60 year old men who can fund their own old age care.

This is terrible advice. This means that she would likely be widowed before she is 60 and will either have to start dating again or be alone in her golden years. Also, it doesn’t matter how good his genes are because sperm quality degrades with age and can cause birth defects.

Re: Ask HN: I’m 41 and still unmarried – what should I do?

#715
I'm going to tell you what I think is the issue here.

You probably are not looking for the kind of advice that will actually work. Because that advice entails changing your end goal (lowering your standards) instead of merely changing your strategy. You are vehemently agreeing with the posts that flatter your "strategy" and disagreeing with the ones that get to the bottom of the issue (The men who will meet your standards can get young attractive women, they don't care if you are smart/successful.)

You also have an inflated sense of how smart you are. You are a humanities graduate running a generic education startup. Not the kind of tech genius you are painting yourself to be. You said you can't find any men as smart as you? Seriously? You can't find men smarter than you? Or is it that you have an inflated sense of how smart you are combined with a very narrow definition of what "smart" is?

I also looked at your twitter and you are not physically attractive enough to go on 120 dates and not find a match. Sure your friends will tell you you are beautiful but you are physically a 6.5/10. I don't say this to be mean, but to be honest. You are a 41 year old woman and you look like it. The kind of men you are looking for will not start dating you now. You seriously underestimate how much this factors in to the equation. I'm a 25 year old guy and you probably make more money than me, but I won't date you because I don't find you physically attractive enough. Men who have much more money than me would also probably feel the same.

Re: Ask HN: I’m 41 and still unmarried – what should I do?

#717

Earlier quoted context omitted.

All true. Maybe I should post this on your channel on Reddit:) I certainly don’t lead the first date with wanting to have kids unless people ask. But I’ve heard from several relationship experts to be sure values are aligned in the first couple dates. Fortunately, people usually specify this in dating apps so you can filter for people who don’t want kids. Funnily enough, one of the biggest turn-offs I’ve experienced…

Seriously ridiculous questions. I know many of my Gen-X peers started families in their 40’s without assistance.

No post body was provided.

Re: Ask HN: I’m 41 and still unmarried – what should I do?

#718
I really appreciate the honest feedback everyone has given on this post. Some of it was hard to hear, but all of it enlightening. And I appreciate the generosity of the community in the time they took to engage in this issue.

I do want to address one last thing before giving this post a rest.

A lot of people on this post have made conjectures about my reproductive health and ability to have children at the age of 41.

Among the other comments I heard, I found these particular comments to be the most frustrating and hard to stomach.

In the last two years, I've gone to two fertility clinics. My blood samples were taken and I was given an ultrasound at one clinic, Kindbody, to determine my chances of having children. In fact, in order to get my eggs frozen, two nurses took my blood samples, examined my hormone levels and gave me an ultrasound every other day for two weeks. These licensed doctors gave me realistic and conservative assessments and recommendations from their evidence-based approach. Evidence-based recommendations and insights into my ability at this age to have a healthy child given many factors.

People on this forum have found it fit to weigh in on their own views about my reproductive health - with only my age to go on, citing studies, that I presume they would suggest, presume that they understand my body better than I do.

They have also suggested that "getting pregnant is easy."

To assume that every woman's body works the same way and on the same timeline for every woman is wrong.

There is a good reason that I reached out to licensed, experienced doctors for advice about my fertility at age 41, and not to a group of technologiests on Hacker News. Though people have found it fit to weigh in and rebuked me harshly for not accepting their viewpoints on my body's reproductive health.

That you chose to contribute about this question (my reproductive health and chances of having a healthy baby) which I did not ask, is your prerogative and I accept that.

I know it is too much to expect that someone would presume a well-educated woman would not have gotten the best advice about her fertility from knowledgeable doctors, but it is still disappointing.

Every woman's body is different. And it's my job, with the help of my doctors to understand how my body works. Not yours.

Roe V Wade was recently overturned. And many people in this community were very upset about this decision, particularly as it impacts women's autonomy over their own bodies.

Women's autonomy over their bodies starts by everyone, you and me, deciding that a woman knows her body best and it's her job to understand how it works, not yours.

If you consider yourself a feminist and a supporter of women's rights, I strongly encourage you to think twice in the future before you presume to understand a woman's body better than she does.

Thank you for listening.

Over and out:)

Re: Ask HN: I’m 41 and still unmarried – what should I do?

#719
post #236

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But do you know how many tried and failed? The chance of failure at 40 is definitely higher than 30 (unless you froze eggs when younger). > The percentage of IVF cycle starts that resulted in live births was 41.5% in women younger than 35 years, 31.9% in women aged 35–37 years, 22.1% in women aged 38–40 years, 12.4% in women aged 41–42 years, 5% in women aged 43–44 years, and 1 % for women older than 44 years. In con…

This is one of the statistical realities I really wish society was more open about. It would really help women make proper informed decisions.

No post body was provided.

Re: Ask HN: I’m 41 and still unmarried – what should I do?

#720

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used to believe this kind of advice. However, I’ve actually spent quite a bit of time working on myself and coming to peace with my life as it is. I think the everything will follow piece is a spiritual bypass that isn’t reflected in reality. There are so many confident, beautiful , career-driven women who are in the same predicament as me. I think that women are learning to take charge in every aspect of their liv…

I have no idea if the following applies to you, so I won't even suggest it might. I'll just share some anecdata. I'm male, married, with two beautiful, clever children and a beautiful, clever wife. The wife has a rich list of ambitions and expectations from life, more and more as time goes on. Model 21st century woman really. She's killing it at work, learning new sports, lifting weights, networking, recently joined…

No post body was provided.
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