Normal for me, not for others: Experiences of young adults born to “advanced‐age” parents

Abstract Objective This study sought to qualitatively explore the lived experiences of young adults who grew up with advanced‐age parents in Belgium. Background The average age at which men and women have children has increased. This has given rise to concerns about the offspring, including the possibility of growing up with severely ill parents or experiencing parental death at a young age. However, the debate largely neglects the lived experiences and perspectives of the children. Method Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 young adults (aged 18–30 years), predominantly college students, who were born to at least one advanced‐age parent (40+ years at the time of their child's birth). The interviews were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results Three main themes were identified. First, participants typically viewed their parents as “normal” and attached little significance to their parents' age. Second, social events repeatedly contradicted the participants' perceptions of normality. Finally, for several participants, age differences were informative in assessing their family ties. Conclusion The young adults in this study were impelled to navigate the tension between their sense of normality and societal norms that challenged it. Implications Greater attention must be given to how children born to advanced‐age parents are affected by social prejudice. Parental age is a factor that should be considered within the broader context of various family characteristics, and because family structures continue to diversify, it is paramount to further normalize this diversity in society.