I was married at 22 and had three lads by 27. It was hard for me seeing my mates, with money, going out on the lash all the time. I initially regretted it, and felt cheated out of something. Being there for the first steps, first words, first day at school, etc, changed all that big time. Hit me like a train. I didn't want to go back to my teens and twenties any more and my mates gave me shit, for 'changing' and drifted away.
Pushing 40 my mates are still single and doing the same things. I'm still married and my kids are growing like weeds. My mates are living in the past. I find it prett