> but having a child seems to have made things significantly better in some ways
A child answers the existentialist "why I'm here? what's the point?" question on a primal, fundamental level. The child needs you, your purpose is to care for it.
A child answers the existentialist "why I'm here? what's the point?" question on a primal, fundamental level. The child needs you, your purpose is to care for it.
Unless you enjoy the answer to "why I'm here" being "driving my teen around to hang with their dubious friends", "nagging about homework", and "human paycheque."
Just sayin' :-)
I love my kids, but children are not the answer to getting meaning into your life. Having a mid-life crisis in your late 40s & 50s long after you've had kids is a cliche for a reason.
> children are not the answer to getting meaning into your life
Because the meaning may end (after many years/decades)? That seems strange, what answer to this hunger for meaning is guaranteed to fulfill you forever?
If your primary answer to the question "why I'm here? what's the point?" is taking care of your kids, you're going to end up with a widening gap as they age into adulthood, move out, and you spend and spend less time with them and they become more independent.
Oh well, I'll get back to you in 5-10 years when they've fully adult-ed.
It's my primary answer which will do its job for many years. Again, it's not like you'll find a life-long meaning in building a B2B startup. It might work for a couple of years, then you need to find something else.