to think small children are more fun than older kids?

[wigglybeezer]

I know they were dependant on me 24/7 and often hard work but I am missing the fun I used to have with my three when they were smaller, bath time, stories, trips to the beach greeted with enthusiasm rather than moans, me deciding where to go out for the day and taking them along, spontaneity.

Now they don't like me being silly/fun, its embarrassing, and they only need me for food and lifts at the weekend. Days out are boring and holidays only greeted with enthusiasm if abroad. Not to mention homework...

I do enjoy aspects of it all and I don't miss wiping bums but I am struggling to replace the fun element (I am trying). DH shares a hobby with two of them and I often feel a bit left out although it is nice for them.

I know I will get over it, just having a whinge…tell me to get a grip if you want.

how old? which sex? what hobby?

get where you are coming from but personally I can't beat a hot chocolate and girly shop with teen dds.

grown up lads too and the bear hugs are lovely.

My experience is the opposite to yours, dues to stresses (financial and relationship) I didn't enjoy the younger years. Now I am on my own, and as a direct result financially more secure, I have the space to really enjoy being with my kids.

But I don't think YABU. Things will change again though, as they continue to get older.

Also think the opposite of you - the early years were too much like drudgery, although they appreciate you doing "stuff" with them a lot of it is mindnumbingly dull.

When they are older they are more self sufficient, you can have an interesting conversation with them (well sometimes ...) and share interests/activities that you would choose to do yourself.

I love teenagers. Mine moan at times but we also have loads of fun and loads of belly laughs over tv programmes and family jokes.
I love trips out with dd and will miss her loads when she goes to uni

I have three boys 15 down to 9, they are good kids and do give me hugs etc. The youngest is chatty.

DS1 is very sporty and obsessed with rugby, and the hobby the others do with DH is fantasy wargaming! I gamely had a go at joining in at one point but it is not for me. I often feel quite lonely at weekends.

I did have quite a good afternoon shopping with DS1 the other day, but only because we were only shopping for him!

I find older children more mentally tiring, babies were so easy compared to High School age. I miss so many things about mine as babies/toddlers/smalls. I never found the baby stage hard, I loved it but teens are difficult. Homework.......I can't find the words about how tiring it all is. I could deal with a screaming baby with colic no problem compared to German homework or an essay about the Spanish Armada.

I need a toddler to take to a Santa's grotto, to watch their faces light up at the lights outside everyone's houses. All that innocent stuff was wonderful.

Enjoy it whilst you have it because they will be at High School before you can blink, leaving mud caked all over the hall rug because their school shoes were thick with mud after playing football at break.

Mine are 2 to 12 and I don't feel that. The youngest is funny but the eldest is very quick witted. We share a very dry sense of humour. Can you find something nice to do together. We tend to cook, bike and do daft board games.

I enjoy older kids more, even enjoys their friends more...because we can start doing the things we love again - city breaks, good restaurants, long walks, watching good films together, sharing the same food, they even cook for us! They are better company too. No I don't miss the baby days as all!

I am another one who found the early years hard but who loves being with teenagers. I teach teens and have two at home and think they're fab. I love the interesting conversations, the enthusiasm and the humour. It entertains me hugely!

I love the ages from 2yr to starting school. They are so interested in everything around them and life is so exciting with new discoveries everyday. So funny when they start to talk and the cute way they cant quite pronounce some words correctly and they still love kisses and cuddles.

Its a long time since my DC were little but I have the best of both worlds with my DGC, all the joy with hardly any stress.

We did have a lovely city break to Berlin in October, special treats can still be enjoyed. I am in agreement with notanotherusername though, I too find it all more complicated and I loved babies ( thats why i ended up with three!). I worry about them more now, ds1 is not doing very well academically at high school and ds2 has Aspergers ( actually I worry less about him these days as he is now coping well at school). There is more squabbling and they are so big and loud.

The problem is more with me than them though.

I actually like teenagers too, they make me remember being young, I am not a teen hater.

I suppose it comes down to the fact that life with babies and toddlers was life in the moment as that is how they function ( and they are so cute).

I need to get round to doing some mindfulness training or something.

I also need to find the determination to train them up to be more independent , at the moment they don't need me for fun stuff but do need me for so many domestic things ( never a string point with me), worst of both worlds.

My eldest is coming up to 5, my second is 1. I seem to be in the minority that I love the baby stages. Squishy soft newborns, watching them learn, first words, crawling, first steps. Love love love. I didn't care about crying or mess. But then I got lucky, and had 'good' babies who ate well, slept well and were placid and pleasant. No colic or reflux or cryers, so it was easy to love that stage.

My eldest now, though, seems to dislike everything he used to enjoy. Dislikes 'baby' TV shows but is too 'scared' of others. Dislikes his old toys, dislikes new ones. Doesn't have the patience to learn how to use apps. Doesn't like playing outside. Doesn't like going out. All I ever hear is "Don't want to" and "Don't like it." It's really exhausting.

Just 'a phase' I guess. We still go for walks and to the park and do fun things with the younger child, and he is there too and we do our best to engage with him, but he sulks and 'hates' everything so much there's not much to enjoy.

I miss the younger stages when he actually enjoyed things, rather than this horrible pre-teenage stage.

I love watching DS play rugby on a sunday morning. Have started to make good friends with some of the rugby parents too and follow our local team together.

Isn't big and loud fun? Sounds fun to me - I have an only and I look forward to a group of loud nearly teens watching films at my house...