Is 5 the best age?

[watermelonlipbalm]

My son is 5 and I absolutely LOVE where he is now!
It took us a while to get here. He was a gorgeous baby, but the terrible twos hit at about 1.5 and then he had a speach delay and I'd say it took him until he was almost 4 to have full vocab. He then adapted lots of sensory issues especially with sounds and clothes. Apart from his shoes and socks that all seems to have settled down.
He is just at such a wonderful age where he loves to hang out with me and play but also happy to do his own things (some of the time). His tantrums have gone and he's so much more chilled.
He really is just so lovely and there was a time when o was in the early years trenches that I never thought I'd get here 🙈

Just wondered what your favourite ages are?

So with DS1 we found 2 to be awesome but 3 to be total nightmare a bit of a challenge 4 was amazing, 5 was good and 6 is exactly as you're finding 5 - he's such good company, so sweet and just so easy compared to some of the earlier years. DS2 took the terrible 2s very seriously but is about to turn 4 and he's just lovely. Enjoy it, OP, it's so lovely when things get a bit easier. I'm really happy for you

I love 5-10. After that it goes down hill😱

I did love 5, my DD has just turned 6 and she should be fab for at least another year. DS has just turned 8 he is starting to push boundaries over the last 6 months. To be fair he can be the most kindest and sweetest he just has to learn what’s appropriate or not. As a teacher I agree generally between 5-10 is pretty awesome, hence teaching primary! However several of my colleagues have teenagers maybe 15+ who are great kids still. I think many probably have a few tricky years you just hope they come out the other side and you still like them 😂

My mum was a teacher and had 4 dc, she always said 0-5 is hardwork and relentless, 5-10 is the easiest stage.......and then they become teenagers. She also said that they do come back from the dark side eventually, she taught secondary. I'm inclined to agree with her so far!

This is lovely to read. I love 4 and 5 the best too!

I have a younger son who is 2 who also has a speech delay so the tantrums and frustration is upon me again! It's so challenging, but I know he'll get through it!
My eldest does still like to push boundaries but he's so much more responsible with it. For example yesterday he was being a bug moody with his cousin so I pulled him up on and he went quiet and came over and said sorry and that he didn't want to be moody and he turned it around.
I can't emphasise how much this wouldn't have happened a year ago!
He's just so adorable and if I get 5 more years of him being like this it'll be heaven ♥️♥️♥️

I'm away camping with mine who are 11 & 12 and it's fabulous! So much easier than any other age so far!

5-10 is lovely. Tweens and teens amazing but it gets much harder for the parent. Primary age you are still in control.

Ahh I'm glad to hear it's not all doom and gloom as they get older 🥰

The best age is whatever age they currently are!

I found the baby/early years hard (boring mainly!) but they are now 23 and 16 and each age/stage of development brings joy and worry in equal measure.

I now go to gigs etc with my 23 year old and, on the days she's home from school before me, the 16 year old cooks dinner (from scratch 😉). When the eldest comes home to visit, we spent hours just talking bollocks and laughing. My house is often full of noisy, hungry 16 year olds.

I made two of the best people in the world! Go me! 😁

My DD is 6 and absolutely lovely! She's great company.

I loved every age in different ways. Young teen years were a hoot with DS. 15-17 years were a bit trickier but mainly because it is natural they pull away. 18 onwards has been lovely too although DS spends much less time with us. He's still happy to come on a holiday and be around in Uni holidays

5 was an extremely challenging age with my DS. He was wild and defiant and didn’t settle well at school. Some children are square pegs, though. He was later diagnosed with ASC & ADHD, and Id say life was challenging with him pretty much all through his childhood. He’s 18 now, and a lovely young man 😆

DD was a delight at 5, but I’d say hee peak age of wonderful ness was around 5-8. She was just so sweet and enthusiastic and funny. Sullen 14 yr old glued to her phone these days. I’m awaiting her coming out the other side!

I loved 18 months - 2.5, 4 and most of 5 with my eldest DS. He was a wonderfully chilled baby and toddler, but became very defiant and hard work at 2.5 onwards. He was lovely again at 4, 5 was pretty good, he is now 6.5 and I've definitely found him harder work. Lots of defiance, lots of attitude. Alone he is wonderful company, or on fun days out, but towards the end of this last term he's become harder work - although fingers crossed firm boundaries and consequences seem to be working this last week. I think he might be neurodiverse though so that might be a factor.

My youngest DC has been hard work since birth 😆but actually since turning 3, which I didn't enjoy with DS, they have been much better. Still hard work, but compared with 2-3, much easier. They are 3.5 now so hopefully, onwards and upwards!

My three children are aged between 2 and 20 at the moment, and yes, the years between 5 and 10 have been wonderful.

5 is great and then I found it got better and better, my elderly is mid 30’s now.

I think different ages suit different temperaments. My eldest is pretty delightful at 6 now but she was hard work as a 3yo. Lots of door slamming, emotional angst. She was deeply unhappy during lockdown at 3 whereas some of my friends children were nice at that age, happy to be at home pottering etc. I’m sure she is going to be a difficult teen. My youngest is 3 and is much more placid. I really like her at 3. Her tantrum phase was between 18m and 21/2 and she was much harder during that period than my eldest was.

Different things are challenging for them both so I think different life stages will be harder/easier for them.

I agree OP that 5 is a lovely age, but there are pros and cons of all age groups . Even teenagers have so many good points - they can be good company , keep you up to date with music and TV shows you wouldn't have otherwise considered .

My DS is 21 now and has left home - but it's also lovely having an adult relationship and seeing them become independent.

5 to 10 is a great age, but not all teens are tricky, two of mine were delightful, mind you they were easy toddlers too, not a tantrum between them. My other three certainly had their moments though.

Once my dd turned 4 it was a breeze she's 6 now and I've loved having time to go out restaurants etc just me and her I'm hoping these years stay easy had another baby who's now 9 month the first few months were a breeze compared to the baby stage with my daughter but now he can crawl it's all gone tits up 😅 we got stuck in traffic and he's screamed for 50 mins in the car while I'm singing lullaby's to him and giving him the last of 3 dummies he's thrown to the car floor, I'm already counting down until he reaches around 3 . Enjoy the time op I can only imagine what the teenage years will bring us. 5 is the perfect age they can play independently at home, their in school so get some good social time with other kids can go to the toilet by themselves, I forgot that for the first year of having my dd I barely left the house.

DGS will be 5 at the end of August, and he's pretty much perfect. He runs everybody ragged of course, having most energy than a husky and no indoor voice at all. Luckily his Uncle Dog (black lab cross) can outpace him at the beach, and is also the naughtiest member of the family. He hasn't been to A&E for ages either, unlike his mother at the same age.

More, not most. Grr.