What did you find harder? Parenting a toddler, or parenting a teen?

[Toooldhmm]

Just that really!

Not sure what the teen years will be like. But the twos and threes (while lovely) have been one big emotional rollercoaster! Lack of sleep, lots of tantrums, and so on

They are a bit similar, but you can't carry the teenager away from a situation like you can a toddler. Teenagers are much more interesting to talk to when they chose to talk. Lack of sleep won't be as much of an issue, but you might need a bigger fridge.

Parenting a teen was 10 times more difficult

Toddler is more physically exhausting.
Teen is more mentally exhausting.

At least you don't need to constantly worry about childcare when you have a teen :)

Teen every time!

I have a 2 year old.. and a 10 and 12 year old. So I know my 12 year old isn't fully teen yet but hormones are kicking in.

I can definitely say the thing i find harder than anything with the toddler ( and going back to it after a gap) is having zero time to myself. That is going to be fresh in my mind when my older kids hit teens. I feel like I could deal with any amount of moodiness and worry, if i can just be left to sit on my arse now and again, or clean the kitchen in peace!

You forget how relentless the toddler bit is. And it's so much harder to cope with the strife when you have no head space.

But when she hits 14 I might change my mind ! But at least I will be updating mumsnet without a toddler climbing on me.

Toddler way more exhausting for me. Not tiredness, just sheer bloody boredom really. No, I don't want to stick glittery shit on bits of paper and read crap books to you.
Love dd unconditionally and we have a v good relationship, travel together, talk about stuff. But boy was I glad when she could sort out her own friendships and I could just chuck them a packet of biscuits every so often.

My kids weren't difficult at all. But when they were toddlers, I knew what I needed to do, and had control of the situation.

But it's so hard to know whether you're doing the right thing with teenagers. You can't read their minds and you don't know what's going on in their lives when you're not there. You can find yourself over-thinking, trying to do the right thing, but it turning out to be the wrong thing. The emotional stuff is hard, even if they're not problematic kids.

Toddler is more physically exhausting.
Teen is more mentally exhausting.

This!

As RedskyAtnight said.

But (yes I am mad!) I actually find my teen easier. I can have some me time without worrying or planning everything in advance.

Which means i am ready refresh6 for the next battle! 😉

100% the teenager years are harder!

Hard to say really.

The advantage of a toddler is that they are not complicated and you can tell if they are happy or unhappy. Teenagers are more complex and you worry a lot more about them.

I'd still take a toddler or a teen over a baby though (although we are only at 14 so far so it could get a lot worse)!

Toddler, by far.

DS1 turns 18 next month and apart from one incident of bunking off school at 14, I can't remember any other major stress from the teen years. That said, I do get the feeling currently 12yo DD is going to be a bit more a challenge, we already have regular displays of teen door slamming and huffing and puffing over being asked to do the smallest thing!

Parenting a husband.

Two teens and a tween. This is the hardest ever. At least toddlers have a bedtime!!

Small children are tiring because you really have to keep your radar on, they have no off switch, and they don’t sleep.

Teenagers - well actually the same but the answer back more.

Toddlers are the hardest!!!

teens r easier

Im parenting both at minute..no difference in behaviour at all..you can make allowances for toddler as they dont no any better.

Teen years much easier, I was not a natural mother to a toddler

So far (at 16 and 14) teens are way easier. Mine are very easygoing and hormones have had no noticeable effect so far. I know it could all change overnight though.

I find teens easier than toddlers, and toddlers easier than newborns.

That probably tells you more about my children than about me though.

DS1 is almost 18, DD is 16 and DS2 is 3, I am exhausted ..

Right now this week the teens have been easier, and to be honest generally are. They're both good kids we get the odd stressful moments but they're good at talking to me and we get along well. Toddler has decided that 2-4am is the time to be up and ready for the day, the rest of us are not in agreement !
Teens at this moment are winning on the easy front, however next week could be all different

For me the toddler years. I found that time awful and I permanently felt like a crap mum.

I love the teen years, they are actual people with great senses of humor and easier to reason with, and talk to. I have 2 DS 15 and 17.

But I know that everyone is different, as are our children. So you will get varying responses.

I have a 12 and 15 year old ds. So so much easier now than when toddlers.

The 15 year was a grumpy whiny angry toddler and has somehow become a polite easy going teen.

Unless teens have special needs they can be left home alone for a few hours, make you a cup of tea, make themselves breakfast/ lunch/ snacks, like the same TV and decent music, use public transport.

I have teens and truly believe that people who say teens are harder either have unusually difficult teens or have forgotten what sleep deprivation, 5am get ups, nursery rhyme cds, being followed to the toilet and never getting a second to yourself is like. Or they had toddlers who slept 12 hours at night and were in full time childcare.