This discussion makes me chuckle. Friends of ours have been adventurers all their lives prior to and after becoming a couple. They toured on bikes in the Himalayas with a months-old daughter. From then on, their two daughters have toured around the world, and continue to do so independently. The eldest holds a degree; the second is a qualified tour guide.
The thing about these kids is that they were not neglected by their parents. Some thinks so because they lived over a decade in a small simple building while constructing their pole house on a piece of land that overlooks one of the most scenic vistas imaginable. My friend builds bikes... is a bicycle fanatic. I have toured and randonneed with him. Now, the couple's focus is on adventure kayaking -- including Ireland and Iceland and a circumnavigation of Tasmania.
Yeah, people can stay at home, afraid of offending family and anonymous posters on BikeForums, or they can take family with them, and even more importantly, stay healthy so that when they hit that "old age home" age, well, they are still quite capable of taking care of themselves and continue to live independently. It's why the grey nomad/snowbird lifestyle remains so popular and viable.
And Happy Feet... kudos to you and your wife for the work you do. Your stories show just how wide the gulf is between the American way, and how other countries tackle social issues.