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Trailblazing 'Grannymom' Defies Odds, Raises Twins into Adulthood
20 Aug
Summary
- Frieda Birnbaum became America's oldest mother of twins in 2007 at age 60
- She used her fame to encourage women to consider older motherhood
- Raising her twins Jaret and Josh has kept Frieda, now 78, invigorated

In May 2007, Frieda Birnbaum, a 60-year-old New Jersey woman, made headlines as America's oldest known mother of twins. Mocked as the "grannymom" in news reports, Frieda refused to apologize for having children later in life.
Instead, the psychotherapist used her sudden fame to encourage women to consider older motherhood as a way to break free from anxiety about their biological clocks and negativity about aging. Now, as Frieda prepares to send her 18-year-old twins Jaret and Josh off to college, she reflects on how raising them has kept her energized and vital at 78.
Frieda's journey has not been without challenges. She faced criticism from those who doubted her ability to care for young children at her advanced age. However, Frieda found the sacrifices of motherhood easier in her 60s and 70s than in her 20s and 30s when raising her two older children. She and her husband, Ken, 81, made the twins a priority, going on adventures and staying actively involved in their lives.
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As the twins prepare to embark on the next chapter of their lives, Frieda looks forward to embracing the "empty nest" as an opportunity to pursue her own ambitions, including writing a memoir and potentially launching a TV show. Her message to women is clear: "Life begins at any age you want it to."