[pseudoramble]

> Another issue is that in your mid 30's almost everyone has settled down and started having kids and only really prefer socializing with other people who have settled down and have kids, leaving you in an awkward place.

To add a bit of a different perspective to this, as a parent myself, most of our friend groups are actually child-less and have no plans to have children. I've found it works quite well. They are cool with or genuinely excited to hang out with the kids, and this affords them a way without the full obligation of parenthood. The friend relationship evolves when you have kids, but with the right kinds of people and interest, it evolves in a great way I feel.

Of course I'm just part of one family, which is a small sample size. So perhaps you're onto the real trend. But I do feel it important to say that there's room in this world for folks with or without kids. It doesn't have to be mutually exclusive!