This is an original work published after an extensive research carried out and funded by the author.
For centuries, man has measured success or achievement in terms of power, wealth, education, fame innovation, etc.
However I want to assert that bearing forth or siring an offspring at an early age is an achievement too. This brings forth the term ‘Parental Index’ as concerns procreation. Parental Index is the ratio of the ages of the parent and that of the firstborn child (from the first marriage). The index remains the same whether the first born is alive or deceased.
An index tending towards unity is high and considered more successful than that which tends towards infinity. The index can never reach unity because the firstborn’s age can never be the same as the parents’ ages.
On the firstborn’s first birthday, the parental index is actually the parents’ age at that time. Couples who’ve not been blessed with a child have an infinite parental index. The index is applicable to couples leaving together, separated or divorced couples and single parents.
In most instances, women tend to have better indices than men. This is because a woman is most likely to marry a man who’s a few years her senior. An example is a 26 year old man who marries a woman of 24 years. Supposing this union produces a child exactly 1 year later, their indices after 19 years of marriage will be as follows;
Husband’s Index = 45/18 = 2.5
Wife’s Index = 43/18 =2.39
In the above union, the woman is the more successful of the two. In Kenya, some pastoral communities who practice pre-arranged marriages score very high parental indices. Take a case of a 15 year old girl marrying a 17 year old boy and bearing forth an offspring 1 year later. After 19 years of marriage, the parental indices will be as follows;
Husband’s Index = 36/18 = 2.0
Wife’s Index = 34/18 = 1.89
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a high index?
In real life, a high index has more advantages than disadvantages, if any. The advantages are as follows;
i) A person actually ‘grows up’ with the child/ren.
ii) The age gap is minimal, making it easier to discuss and understand each other.
iii) The upbringing and facilitation of the child’s education is completed early in life, when one is still strong and energetic.
iv) At retirement, your child/ren is/are already mature and independent hence you may not have to spend your retirement package on their upkeep.
In conclusion, I want to assert as follows;
‘Any parent whose index falls between 1.8* and 3.0* is indeed a success and an achiever’.
YOU ARE NOW IMPULSIVELY REACHING OUT FOR YOUR CALCULATOR
* Calculated at an age bracket between 35 to 55 years.