# 64-year old great-great-grandmother? That can't be right. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 18, 2005, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/64-year-old-great-great-grandmother-that-cant-be-right/299810 "2005-04-18T00:24:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sarah\_Woodruff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sarah\_Woodruff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarah_Woodruff)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2005, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/64-year-old-great-great-grandmother-that-cant-be-right/299810/21 "2005-04-19T09:57:23Z")
There’s an E.A. Poe short story called _The Spectacles_, about a young man who, um, fell in love with and was all set to marry a well-preserved lady who turned out to be his great-great-grandmother. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2005, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/64-year-old-great-great-grandmother-that-cant-be-right/299810/22 "2005-04-19T12:01:43Z")
Another example of the opposite end of the spectrum: I was born in 1957. My dad was born in 1926. His dad was born in 1890. And his was born in 1846. ---
**Author:** ![Jaade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@Jaade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaade)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2005, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/64-year-old-great-great-grandmother-that-cant-be-right/299810/23 "2005-04-19T12:34:38Z")
We currently have 5 generations alive in our family and no births under the age of 18… My great-grandmother will be 88 this year. My grandmother will be 71. My mother is 51. I’m 29. My oldest biological daughter is 10. My great-great grandmother was alive until I was 6 years old. It’s conceivable, as my great-grandmother is not in bad health physically (though she has Alzheimer’s) that she could live long enough for my daughter to one day (FAR, FAR into the future…) have a baby and give us a six-generational family. The women in my family tend to live very long lives. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2005, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/64-year-old-great-great-grandmother-that-cant-be-right/299810/24 "2005-04-19T13:40:48Z")
> [@](#): > > The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. But apparently, the panties fall quickly from the trunk. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2005, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/64-year-old-great-great-grandmother-that-cant-be-right/299810/25 "2005-04-24T09:23:30Z")
This thread is reminding me of one of those anti-drug PSAs from a few years ago. Teen girl and her parents are awaiting the results of her home pregnancy test, because, y’know, weed leads directly to unprotected sex. Anyway, it’s positive, and the subtitle says, “They will be the youngest grandparents in town.” Even at the time, I thought, “Don’t be so sure.” ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2005, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/64-year-old-great-great-grandmother-that-cant-be-right/299810/26 "2005-04-24T09:38:09Z")
It’s those who breed who will inherit the Earth from those of us who don’t. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2005, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/64-year-old-great-great-grandmother-that-cant-be-right/299810/27 "2005-04-24T10:03:18Z")
Hell, in India I saw tubal ligations performed on 17 year olds who were married mothers of 3. Technically marriage in India is illegal for girls under 18 and men under 21, but we were in a very rural area. I’d say great great grandparents by 60 would be about standard for that area…if they lived that long. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2005, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/64-year-old-great-great-grandmother-that-cant-be-right/299810/28 "2005-04-24T10:13:37Z")
> [@Really Not All That Bright](#): > > When we were in high school, her great grandmother was two years _younger_ than my stepdad. …and I suspect she _still_ is. 😉😃 ::d&r:: ---
**Author:** ![Sallyo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/46a35a/32.png) [@Sallyo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sallyo)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/64-year-old-great-great-grandmother-that-cant-be-right/299810/29 "2011-07-28T07:13:19Z")
> [@Napier](#): > > Another example of the opposite end of the spectrum: > I was born in 1957. > My dad was born in 1926. > His dad was born in 1890. > And his was born in 1846. Our line is similar. My grandson was born in 2009 My son was born in 1980 I was born in 1957 My father was born in 1921 His father was born in 1873 His grandfather was born in 1851 His great grandfather was born in 1826 ---
**Author:** ![Baracus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/64-year-old-great-great-grandmother-that-cant-be-right/299810/30 "2011-07-28T12:12:03Z")
All of my grandparents are pre-zombies. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/64-year-old-great-great-grandmother-that-cant-be-right/299810/31 "2011-07-28T12:18:44Z")
> [@Shirley\_Ujest](#): > > The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. And apparently when it hits the ground, it explodes and sends seeds all over the place. ---
**Author:** ![Sally\_Mander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@Sally\_Mander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sally_Mander)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/64-year-old-great-great-grandmother-that-cant-be-right/299810/32 "2011-07-28T12:40:47Z")
> [@Cub\_Mistress](#): > > A girl in one of my classes is pregnant at age 14. Her mother gave birth to her when she was 12. In a couple of months there will be a 26 year old grandmother in my town. :eek: indeed. > > I think I’ll send a donation to Plannned Parenthood. The donation idea is nice, but maybe you should send \*them \*to Planned Parenthood instead. I’m 45, and still mildly shocked when people I went to high school with post pictures of their grandchildren on Facebook. We can’t be old enough for grandkids, can we? :eek: 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Minnie\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Minnie\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Minnie_Luna)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/64-year-old-great-great-grandmother-that-cant-be-right/299810/33 "2011-07-28T16:10:47Z")
I will be 35 in a week. A girl I went to High School with posted pics of her grand-daughter on her Facebook page. I was shocked by that, especially since a lot of my friends my age haven’t even had kids yet. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/64-year-old-great-great-grandmother-that-cant-be-right/299810/34 "2011-07-28T16:42:55Z")
My mother had me at 18. I had my daughter at 20. My daughter is 20 now, and receives a high five every day that she doesn’t get knocked up. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/64-year-old-great-great-grandmother-that-cant-be-right/299810/35 "2011-07-28T16:47:08Z")
I just ran into a woman I haven’t seen in a while. She is now 79, and mentioned that her 49 year old grandson had seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/64-year-old-great-great-grandmother-that-cant-be-right/299810/36 "2011-07-29T02:57:10Z")
Remember to add six years to all the ages mentioned in this thread, since it’s six years old. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/64-year-old-great-great-grandmother-that-cant-be-right/299810/37 "2011-07-29T15:24:32Z")
> [@YoSaffBridge](#): > > I’m 45, and still mildly shocked when people I went to high school with post pictures of their grandchildren on Facebook. At my 15-year High School Reunion, two of my classmates were already grandmothers. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/64-year-old-great-great-grandmother-that-cant-be-right/299810/38 "2011-07-29T17:07:59Z")
Doesn’t even seem that unusual. Waiting until later in life to have children is very much a modern convention (brought about by industrialization and modern medicine, among other things). Young women are typically fertile as soon as they go through puberty, and the norm throughout 99% of human existence (and still today in some parts of the world) has been for them to start bearing children pretty soon after that. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/64-year-old-great-great-grandmother-that-cant-be-right/299810/39 "2011-07-29T18:16:00Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > It’s those who breed who will inherit the Earth from those of us who don’t. They can have the place, for all I care. Part of the reason I haven’t had and don’t want kids is I don’t want to inflict this shit on anyone. I would have chosen not to be born if I had the choice. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/64-year-old-great-great-grandmother-that-cant-be-right/299810/40 "2011-07-29T18:38:11Z")
> [@Baracus](#): > > All of my grandparents are pre-zombies. All of my zombies are 18 year old grandparents. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/64-year-old-great-great-grandmother-that-cant-be-right/299810.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/64-year-old-great-great-grandmother-that-cant-be-right/299810.md?page=3)