I think I have already turned into one of those people who forget what toddlers are really like!

[MyballsareSandy]

And my kids are only early teens. I'm going to be one of those miserable old grannies aren't I, complaining about the noise and mess.

I met a friend for lunch in a pizza place and she child minds two 4 year olds. I just found it stressful, they were constantly interrupting, getting up and down, sitting under the table, play fighting, arguing. Friend did her best but they didn't listen much.

Tell me I'm a miserable old bag.

I am now so old that I look for quiet campsites to minimize there being small children yes I too am amiserable old bagr

Agree with lady I have 8 years between ds1 &2, then 8 years again between 2 &3

Only 22 months between 3&4 though, that's when the shit really hit the fan

Havana opposite to you. I had 2 16 months apart then 8 years later another 2 16 months apart. Mental.

Oldest is now 24, youngest 14.

We all steer well clear of child friendly anything. Mind I
Am a TA in reception class so have littlies all day.

Love love the ages mine are now. Had dinner in the garden with wine and conversation.

You do forget totally how hard it is.

My neice came round last week with her toddlers, she's very young and a great mum. But the sheer noise, fuss, attention, spilling, running, chatting made my 4 knackered. Hopefully delay me being a gran!!

At least you know you've forgotten.

The worst offenders are the history rewriters or worse yet the pregnant with PFB lot. I was out with DS last week and felt like I got judged for telling him off AND judged for ignoring the little things.

A couple of months ago we met up with an old friend who is pregnant with her first. I could feel her horror that we didn't enjoy every second of our meal - too busy wrestling DS into high chair, getting him to eat something, stopping him from throwing food all over the floor, heading off tantrums. I've decided not to meet up with her again until DS is a bit more civilized at least 10

Well having ds3& 4 has put ds1 off having children until he is much much older.

He loves them to bits and is great with them but he's seen what hard work it is and doesn't fancy it at all

Yep I remember that one, for me its definitely toddlers who are harder

Oh I remember, but I was still saying don't fiddle when DD1 was about 12.
She's 16, she still picks everything up in shops, but at least these days it isn't stuff on the till that clearly belongs to the staffs jobs.

You forget about all of this? Really? Thank fuck for that!

I work with under 5s they are funny loving messy little creatures but bugger going back to all that,

Havana your shit hit the fan comment made me laugh very loudly. Mine were easier before DC2 could walk, talk and realise he too could create mayhem. Once DC1 realised that they could creat double trouble, play 2 v mummy games, dare each other to do naughty things and generally have a partner in crime, I realised I was out numbered

Oh and add in the night wakings and wandering and regular 5.30 am wake up calls wanting to play

Once DC1 realised that they could creat double trouble, play 2 v mummy games, dare each other to do naughty things and generally have a partner in crime, I realised I was out numbered

I'm pregnant with DC2. God help me.

Can remembere looking at my mom and thinking 'you are going to go to bed andsleep all night.'

I was so jealous. Can't even imagine that level of exhaustion now. How's do we survive?
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Sure teens can be worrying and hard but in always feel that if you had a grip #on them, more or less, as toddlers then you avoid the worst as teens.

We stayed in a large cottage with dh university friends. We have 2 dds aged 6 and 4 they all had babies and toddlers. Think we were nearly lynched at breakfast as we sauntered down en famille all showered and dressed at 9ish to be met with bleary eyed friends with dark tales of screaming until 3 then 5.30 am toddler wake ups

Ikea you might be okay. I have friends with calm children so they do exist!

This thread has made me . I have a 4 yr and a 10 week old. The 4yr old is lovely. One Huge issue, that girl does not stop talking. She got her first tooth at 4 months and from then on my world turned around. I never realised i would miss the silence of all things. I dream of the future days of silence. Maybe i am just an old bag.

Forgot to say the 10 week old is just edible at this stage so still waiting for the i want to eat my dinner under the table days..yes calm easy toddlers do exist.

Before I had dc I remember being at my then 18mo niece and how tiring/loud/full on she was. Then when I was at that stage with my dc I just kind of got on with it. Now mine are 10 and 7 I'm back to at the whirlwind that toddlers are. I'm very thankful for more grown up dc and don't mourn that stage at all.

Sorry but I'm laughing at you op for thinking that lunch with a friend and two 4 year olds in a pizza place would be anything resembling fun!

Oh dear blessed wait for the youngest to start talking, mine are 4 & 2 & dear god do my ears need a rest...

Ah good thread. I'm currently trying to explain to employers that I can't really keep doing adhoc hours at home outside of my normal hours without childcare. They all do and they're all mothers but their kids are older and can do homework/watch tv! Mine is a toddler and the day descends into messy farce after about 2mins...they are being fine about it but I sort of sense a polite bewilderment . My theory is they've forgotten just how destructive toddlers are if you're not watching them constantly.

I work partly from home but not with DC! They go into house destruction mode, start raiding cupboards, decide to draw but not just on paper ... Or they watch TV and descend into fighting over what channel, who sits where or screaming mummy more peppa pig, mummy I want octonauts ...