so to those with teenagers what did you find worse toddlers or teenagers?

[lovelysongbirdfliessouth]

i have a high energy toddler

[fizzbuzz]

I have both.

Toddles physically demsnding, teenages emotionally draining (and finacial)

[Tortington]

toddlers. - i am not a fan of small people tbh,

[MaureenMLove]

Toddlers. There was a short period of time, when they didn't answer back!

[psychomum5]

finding teens much harder than toddlers TBH......they are draining in a way that my toddlers never were.....not least as they can follow me about and argue with me with big words, and I cannot hide them behind the stair gate!

[southeastastra]

toddlers are much worse

[noonki]

I'll let you know in 3 months...then we will have both

[alleve]

Toddlers much worse imo.

[Saggarmakersbottomknocker]

Toddlers were physically exhausting.

Three teens are mentally exhausting and hard on your finances.

Apart from that I'm preferring the teens.

[Lilymaid]

Teens are emotionally exhausting but at least you are by then able to have a bit of your own life back (as long as you can pick them up from town at some unearthly time and always have a tenner on hand to bail them out).

[scifinerd]

I have always thought that teenagers behave remarkably similar to toddlers - tantrums, unreasonable, wilful, struggling for independence, bodies going through major growth and development spurts, faddy diets, strange sleep habits and so on.

The problem is you can't put teenagers on the naughty step.

[toomuchempathy]

teenagers - at least with toddlers you know where they are !!

[toomuchempathy]

and what they're doing!!

[oneplusone]

OMG, i tensed as soon as i saw this thread. I have a toddler and am finding it so hard (have a 5 year old as well) and have been telling myself it will be easier once the DC's are older. But at the back of my mind i was wondering if it might actually be worse once the DC's are teenagers.

The replies here have got me heaving a huge sigh of relief. I think i can handle the emotionally draining side of things, it's just this constant physical exhaustion that i find so hard. And the lack of understanding with a toddler, at least with a teenager you can use words of more than one syllable during an argument discussion about what they can/can't do.

[janeite]

Teens. Because you can't pack them off to bed at 7.00pm when it all gets too much for you.

[akhems]

teens are far harder definitely!

[missingtheaction]

toddlers, definitely. I would have sold mine into slavery at that stage given half a chance. Teens are frustrating but can be great fun and at least they wipe their own bums

[poshwellies]

I vote teens-I have a 13 yr old and a 6 yr old-my dd is a mare at the moment-moods last for days and the backchat [scream].6 yr old's tantrums last about 15 minutes.

[MrsTucky]

Toddlers more physically exhausting, teens more fiancially draining...but given the choice, I'd prefer the teens. Been so lucky with mine.

[mankymummy]

teens worse... there is always light at the end of the tunnel but with toddlers it is sooooo FAR away sometimes....

Anyone else looking forward to the time when you can pretend to be the doddery old mum that can say loads of odd things, be odd, and be looked after?

[mankymummy]

sorry meant teens better and obviously my striking out not working !

[fryalot]

I have toddlers and teenagers.

Teenagers waaaaaaaaaaay worse

[bagsforlife]

Toddlers worse than teenagers IMO.

[Hassled]

I had toddlers and teenagers simultanously - older ones are sort of out of that nightmare zone now (21 and 19). Toddlers and teenagers are equally relentlessly demanding and equally hard to fathom out what's going on in their minds; while toddlers wake you up early, teenagers keep you up late.

But overall I think teenagers are worse - only because their problems are a lot harder to sort out. Friendship issues, lack of studying, depression - you just have to stand back and watch.