I'd modify those slightly: 1) I'd say that age-induced wisdom does help you parent well. Years of watching other parents have their mistakes and successes and the vicissitudes of your own life add perspective on human nature and parenthood. But it's not the be-all, end-all of parenting. 2) It is harder for women, and that's a major consideration, maybe the biggest one. For men, not so much. One of the benefits of being male is that you can keep having children (disclosure: my wife is significantly younger than me).