I am 23, parent to a 3 year old. AMA

[penguinwaddl3]

Ask me anything!

Aren't AMA more for unique scenarios? Like, 'I'm a brain surgeon, AMA'. As it's Mumsnet a large majority of people are mums so they won't need to ask you anything as they already know?

How are you different to other mothers?

I was mainly wanting to answer questions about how being a parent young today may compare to how it was for people years ago! Now that the average parenting age has increased!

Presumably because she had her child at 20, which is quite young now. As well you know.

You do realise that if you’re not interested, you don’t have to comment. 🤣

Anyway, was your child planned OP? Have you found you get judgement for being quite a young mum?

Ah it's because she thinks we're all really old and doesn't think we remember what it was like to be 23, you know, years ago!

🙄

Do you feel exhausted all the time? I did with a 3 year old but I’m wondering if that was an age thing.

Come on, don’t be a dick

there’s been loads of posts and conversations about changing parenting styles between generations

I was 16 when I had my first, born the day before my 17th birthday. (A baby born from a sexual assault)

I got married at 17 and had another with my domestic abuse partner, so two under 3 at 18.

What makes you so different?

She hasn’t said she is.

she’s inviting older mums to talk about new parenting styles and trends.

Do you really consider 23 to be a young mum?

Hi OP

My mum was also a young mum (she had me at 18) and she absolutely did things different from me - for example, we just went along with whatever mum needed to do - where as I think I’m much more child centric and things tend to revolve around my own DDs schedule. But I’ve found my mum quite accepting to my ways - have you been the same with your mum? Or is there sometimes a bit of a battle?

Give the OP a break! She had a child at 20! This is much younger than the average age to have a baby so people might find her story interesting.

It is by today’s standards. I would consider 23 to be young.

But how are ‘parenting styles’ and trends any different to any parent, of any age, with a three year old? A 33 year old or a 43 year old who currently has a 3 year old will have encountered the same parenting advice.

Do you plan to have any more? Are you married / together with the father? Do you work?

I have my first at 23 (18 years ago now) and second at 29. Married at 21 and about to celebrate our 20th anniversary. Not sure it’s very AMA worthy.

I was a mum at 23 and certainly in the south London NCT circles I was with I was definitely a very young mum. Most of my friends from school/university have had babies in the last 3 years - my eldest is nearly 16!

Her child is 3, that means the OP was 20 with a newborn. It's pretty young.

Why is everyone so angry at this post?

Did your friendships survive? I had mine in mid twenties and was the first of my friendship group. A lot of my friendships survived but many didn't. I'm not bitter about that, people have lives to live. It's hard to tempt people to hang out with you watching CBeebies when they want to go out.

@Jk987 no one is angry, it's just not the usual AMA post. Usually it would be on a subject prior may not know a lot about and would get the opportunity to ask more. An AMA on a parenting forum about parenting is a bit like teaching your granny to suck eggs. This is evident from the lack of actual questions. 17 posts and only 1 or 2 genuine questions - the reason for this being - it's a strange AMA topic.

^^Subject people ( not prior!)

Come on you know that’s bollocks

trends and advice about weaning, consleeping, discipline have changed massively even in the last 10 years

There’s a lack of questions because it’s become a vipers nest

OP I hope the other mums in your area are more pleasant to you than some of the other mums on this thread.

😯

20 is, of course, young for a mum in the 2020s. I was in my 30s when I had my DC and I felt young to be a parent.

I don't know. I was wondering the same. There's a lot of anger on this post this morning.

Anyway, was your child planned? Do you think you'll miss out on anything havingna dc young? Or when you're my age (40 ahem), do you think it'll be great to a 20 year old?

What is your housing situation?
What is your educational,situation? Do you work?
Are you in a relationship?
Why did you not want to wait until you were older?