What age did/do you most enjoy parenting?

[Doordine]

What age were/are your kids when you most enjoyed parenting them?

Mine are just turned 2 and 4 and there are so many things about these ages I will miss but, for me, I'm pretty sure this age is not it...

5+
Currently 7 & 9
I like babies too until they learn to tantrum/ run away.

DS1 has ASD and just gets better and better with age as his and our understanding of his world gets better

The toddler/ pre-schooler years were so tough that teaching teenagers made a nice break

I've enjoyed every age more, I was not a natural mother to a young child. By comparison, DH is completely the other way and struggles a lot more with DS now he's 16.

I'm excited for the next stages, there's already talk of driving lessons, travelling etc and it's lovely to see the opportunities opening up before him.

I won't deny there's a pang that it's "nearly over" and soon he will fly the nest, but I'm so grateful we've had the amazing journey with him we have had and that he can feed himself

For the eldest 2 it was probably 18 months until they started school. I never had the terrible 2/3's and they were a delight! Could take them anywhere, they would eat anything and were just both easy going. Eldest is now nearly 10 and he has been awful from about age 7, tantrums, attitude and generally a selfish brat! Dd is 8 on monday, she is generally ok but feeds off ds, and is very clingy/ditsy. Youngest is nearly 5 and has autism so is very up and down, he was easiest as a baby!

All of it!

Every age has its challenges and rewards but i love being a parent and even as my DD goes into her 20s and she grows away (as she must & has) i suspect she might need me again lol!

Difficult to say. Have enjoyed every age. She’s 9 now and this past year has been more challenging as she’s angry and developed some sensory issues and I feel powerless to help her. But she is much fun and I enjoy her company.

Every age I liked more than the previous stage. She's 23 now and perfect!

New borns. I love, love, love the new born stage.

I definitely prefer newborn to around 4. I’ve had an easy baby and a more difficult one and I still really enjoyed it from day 1.

Now! DD is almost 14 and she's my mini best mate.

Late 20s is quite a good age. I'm very fond of my late 20s children.

I think it depends on the child. I loved them all as toddlers and pre-schoolers. They are super at that age.

I'm fairly bored by children aged about 7 - 12...I found them all fairly hard work at that age as they were chatty and told rubbish jokes and wanted me to look at things all the time. And I loathe sports day, parents evening and school plays. Also play dates. (I realise that I'm a bad mother).

Eldest three sailed through their teens and were joyous, actually. I teach teens and like them. And they got more and more interesting as we could hold more adult conversations.

But DS4...oh my. Is currently 15 and has been hard work - and getting harder - for last few years...

He's immature, tbh, and aggressively 'Kevin the Teenager'. Frankly it's like having a 6ft 1" toddler.

I hope (at some point) he outgrows it. I'm sure we'll get there.

Now. I've always enjoyed whatever phase we are currently ,in best. Every stage is lovely in different ways. Mine are between 14 and 22 now. I miss my adult DD terribly at the moment but I am really proud of the capable young woman she has grown into. And my teenage boys are awesome. I love being with them more than anything else in the world.We have so much fun together and they are witty, clever and caring. Not having to physically do so many things for them does make life a lot easier. Now they bring me breakfast in bed every day instead of me rushing around after them, which has to be a plus point! I do miss the earlier days sometimes and get a bit nostalgic when I look at old photos etc. Those days were lovely when we were in them and I enjoyed them very much at the time, but I wouldn't turn the clock back if I could. Not to mention the fact that conversation is so much more interesting. Dinner table chat tonight went from Keir Starmer's handling of Anti Semitism in the Labour Party to a debate on the best rock guitarist of all time, via a critique of Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, which sure beats endless questions about Thomas the Tank Engine. Though I have to confess I miss toddler kisses and cuddles.

Tbh Ive loved and hated each age in different ways. Enjoying the current phase of 10, 13,15 and 24. Teens are fun when they arent beijg fucking annoying aand they can cook dinner and make me tea.