I see most men starting to regret only after they have two kids and a wife at home, that's when they will start feeling like they messed up, the job they do won't be enough to do something good for themselves because of the responsibility, I have seen some men living the rest of life in this same shame as they don't have any other way out.
There are some things we need to have done before having family, to make our journey a lot easier, if I have a son I will keep advising him to think more about financial goals instead of planning to start a family, this is one of the reasons why.
I somehow agree with your point. Some may see this as a bad thing when it is actually beneficial for both men and women. You cannot just jump into something that you are not ready for. If you are a man in your early 20s and you let your desires get the best of you, and you "accidentally" start a family, you and your whole family will only suffer the consequences financially. Hence, it is better to be smart and avoid situations that will lead you there. Instead, be smart and focus on getting financial freedom first before any of that.
I don't object to what you two are saying. But the problem is when we are at that age, we never think about our career or our future, we get carried away with friends, the pleasures of youth. I believe that when we were young, our parents used to give such advice, but how many people will listen and follow? That is the instinct of youth and almost all of us have to go through it. It seems easy to say, but few people do it, or most only realize the mistake when everything is over.