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In an interview with Men's Journal, actor and dad-of-three Chris Pratt shared his views on when to start having children. And what he says may seem a little surprising in a world where more and more couples delay having children until they're financially secure.
Now you might not appreciate Pratt, his movies, or his past lifestyle choices, but there is something quite interesting in what he has to share on being a dad and the benefits of being a younger father.
In fact, the Guardians of the Galaxy star shared:
"People say all the time, 'Don’t rush to have kids.' I personally disagree. Rush. Have them. Of course, make sure you find a great partner, but don’t wait."
Pratt went on to reveal the sweet comment fellow actor Adam Sandler also shared on the topic of fatherhood:
"I was talking to Adam Sandler a while back and he said, 'Every day you wait is a day they don’t get to have you in their life.'"
The actor, who has an 11-year-old son, Jack, with ex-wife Anna Faris, and welcomed Lyla Maria and Eloise Christina in 2020 and 2022 with wife Katherine Schwarzenegger, also pointed out:
"The younger you have kids, the more time they get to have with you. It’s wild. Having kids is incredible. The things you normally take for granted in life are new," adding: "As they grow up, it becomes more about connecting with them as individuals and what makes them unique. The softness of their hearts. How their minds work. How they’re the same as you. How they’re different."
Having kids has also impacted how he views movies now, with Pratt sharing: "In the same way that being a father changes the kind of actor you are, it can definitely change the kinds of roles you want to be involved in. I've found myself wanting to do more PG movies."
He was quick to add that as he's watched some terrible movies with his kids, he'd also like to make some that are "merciful on the parents."
Interestingly, Pratt also spoke of his connection to his kids as a father, compared to a mother's early bond with their child:
"Sometimes as a dad, when the kids are young, you can feel a disconnect where the kids are closer to the mom. You feed them. You change them. But there is still a special energy reserved for the mom. But as time goes on, that connection grows, or at least that’s what I’ve experienced. You hit a point where you're like, I could never feel closer to this child than now. And then you get closer. You surprise yourself with how strong that bond grows."
As the interview drew to a close, Pratt said what he was hoping to receive from his kids as a Father's Day present. "I’m a sentimental guy So any kind of artwork that would remind you of the time when the kids were that age, and that time in our lives is a delight."
He noted how the time that you spend with your kids is something both the parent and the child remember. "That’s a gift."
While it's lovely to see a Hollywood star share his joys of fatherhood, of course what we desire doesn't always go according to God's plan for us. As children are one of the greatest gifts we receive on earth, what couples can do from the moment they say "I do" is to pray for an addition to the family in God's time.
We'd love to hear your thoughts on marriage and parenthood, so feel free to share your own experiences in the comments below!
