to ask how much you enjoy motherhood and what are ages/genders of your children?

[beclev24]

Recently I've been feeling that motherhood can be a bit of a slog. I have 3 DC, all boys. I adore them all but the days tend to feel fraught with breaking up fights/ dealing with mood swings/ managing their behaviour etc on top of all the day to day stuff like cleaning/ washing / cooking etc. I rarely feel relaxed around them and always feel "on duty."

I'm interested to know if there is any correlation between how many kids people have and their ages and genders and how much people enjoy being parents on a day to day basis. I'm not talking about how much people love their kids- I think most of us do. I'm talking about the day to day experience of it and how much it feels like a joy, and how much a slog or a challenge. Would love to hear other peoples' experiences.

I'm 38
I have a boy of 22 and a boy who's almost 10.
I have girls aged 21, 20, 16 and 12.
Plus a step daughter aged 18.
I enjoy motherhood.

sugarisamazing . wow! I take my hat off to you. Did you always enjoy it when your kids were little? What are the things you enjoy most about it?

I'm 39 and have a ds (4.7years)and dd (3years). I enjoy motherhood very much.

I’m 29, I have one dd who is 18 months.

I enjoy aspects of it, but I’m a lone parent and sadly her dad doesn’t have a lot to do with her, so it is a slog sometimes. I’m finding it easier the older she gets though! What ruins me is when she won’t go to sleep, no one to take over so I can go sit and recharge.

I'm 29. I have a two year old boy. I absolutely love being a mum but I'm aware it's because my child is very easy. I don't really want any more because I don't want to ruin what we have now but my husband does.

DC are 10 & 6 and I love it (although they are an absolute pain in the arse sometimes). I work FT though which I think helps a lot!!

I don't think it's to do with age, sex or enjoyment of motherhood, it's to do with how well they get on. Mine argue a lot and it really gets me and dh down.

I have a 3yo girl and an almost 2yo boy.
Some days it’s great, as they are so close in age, they play together and it’s lovely.
Other days, like today, they are at each others throats from the moment they get out of bed, and by this time of day I’m just about ready to throw myself off the nearest cliff 🙃

A healthy balance I think

I'm 40. I have two DSs, 10 and 7, and a 4 year old DD. It's quite hard a lot of the time. DS1 has some additional needs and can be challenging and they do bicker a lot.
Working helps as does having time without them!

I felt exhausted and fraught ( very energetic girls aged 13 and 10) until I prioritised making at least one hour for me usually two. The washing can just bloody sit there, the cooking can wait and quite frankly what is the point in tidying up before 7pm?
It reverts into a mess immediately if attempted before.
I learnt to say no to all the running around, hard work play dates etc.
I pack up the kids first thing, we go out and do something active or see friends. After lunch is my time ( I turn my phone off) dc watch film, have screen time or play. I buy crafts and things for their ‘quiet’ time and if they fight there are big consequences - and I extend my own time if I am interrupted so I don’t lose out. I then feel ‘ready’ to be cheerful mum for the evening routine.
Inject some fun into your outings, play with your children and try to avoid the duty part...play jokes, make them laugh and tickle then when they argue instead of allowing it to get on your nerves.
Unless you have some down time, it is impossible to keep yourself in good humour.
Make time for you, and then motherhood will be the enjoyable experience it ought to be( not always or even every day but mostly)💐💐💐💐 you deserve them I suspect

Single parent, two girls aged 7&9. I love being a mum. I adore my kids. They drive me insane but I wouldn’t change it for the world xx

I have 4 teenagers, 3 boys and a girl. They are all great kids , one is more difficult but it's just such hard work dealing with everything as well as working two jobs . The amount of washing, ironing, cooking , cleaning, parents evenings, helping with applications, careers advice, not to mention the emotional issues etc, it's just overwhelming. I am an older mum ( 38 when I had my last one ). When they were younger life was frantic but I seemed to have more energy to cope. Now I am 50, menopausal, exhausted and it's a struggle.

I have one DD who is 8. I'm 45. I don't enjoy motherhood at all really, but there are many extraneous factors which contribute to this.

I often regret parenthood. I find it tiring and unfulfilling; if you knew me in RL this would be the last thing you would think. My DD is a happy, confident and bright child. It's not her fault I feel like this.

I have two boys aged 3 and 6. My enjoyment of motherhood is greatest when I've had adequate sleep and some alone time (and tbh I enjoy spending time 1:1 with just one of them loads more than looking after them both as they argue a lot. I also enjoy time with the older one more as I find the toddler stage a bit tedious at times). I'm much happier now than I was 2 years ago when I was very sleep deprived, had next to no time alone and actively hated my life most days!

1 DS 18mo.

90% of time feels like a slog. I work part time and that is my "me" time and honestly feels like a holiday! I used to dread work and get really stressed over it, which seems daft to me now

I think it feels like a slog because DS is currently so demanding and quick to meltdown. He was a very "easy" baby, albeit a "terrible" sleeper. So this new stage of running around getting into everything and screeching/biting/hitting when he doesn't get his way has been a frankly unpleasant shock and is beyond exhausting for me. I have considered trying to get a second job just to get away from it all but realistically I think I would regret it.

We would like a second but like pp don't want to spoil what we have or push us beyond breaking point!

I have 3, all now in their twenties. Motherhood is great, though I think you feel it in different ways at different phases. When all 3 were under five, life was manic, but never boring. The school years were lovely, seeing them grow, form friendships and become more independent. Then the teenage years brought its own angst! But also great to see each of them forging their own path towards exams, uni and careers. Motherhood is a tough gig. Actually scrub that- parenting is a tough gig. I’ve always worked, which although it’s tough in some ways to have 3 kids and both parents working, overall it’s the second best decision I ever made, to keep up my career (the first best being to have kids!) it’s meant that I’ve always had a part of my life that’s about me, and it’s also meant dh and I have seen raising our kids as totally a joint venture. So yes, not saying it’s easy but overall I think being a mum is great

I’m 41. I have one DS who is 6. I love being his mummy. I have a very supportive and hand on DH who does far more than his share and we are a very happy trio. Loving having 2 “Mummy and DS” days a week in the school holidays.

I’m 35 and I have two ds 16+11. I love the ages they are now. Watching my oldest become an adult with his own beliefs, world view and politics. I home educated him through his exams this year, which was tough in places but really drew us together. Doing the kid things one more time this summer with ds2 before he decides he’s too old. I’m happy as a single parent, but find co-parenting and sharing time with two exes a challenge. I didn’t enjoy the toddler years nearly so much!

I have 3 boys aged 6, 4 and 2

I am absolutely LOVING the summer holidays. the 3 of them are so sweet and play so quietly and nicely together it's been a breeze. (private school so we're on week 3 of the hols)

I don't enjoy term time as much as the 2 year old on his own is bloody demanding without his doting brothers to play with.

I have DS who is 13. Sometimes it’s a bit crappy- discussing the need to do homework, listening to the whinge about school, policing internet access etc. Sometimes it’s been horrible: the rows, the need to lay down the law.
But...it’s has many more great bits- laughing over dinner, talking about stuff which is important to him, travelling and supporting his sporting achievements, sharing TV programmes (always police dramas- currently he plans on being a forensic scientist).
Last summer I insisted we had a photo taken on holiday- just the two of us as I thought it would be the last holiday when I was taller than him. I was right- he now towers over me (and I’m 5’5”). I look back over the year and think how he has grown and changed both physically and personally- it’s been well worth the tough bits.

I enjoy it. I have one 5yo DS. However I did not enjoy the baby and toddler stage and I don't want any more DC. I'm happy with things as they are.

I have a three year old boy and am expecting twins. I love it, but there have been stages ive had to “get through”. On the whole I really enjoy it, I do have days when I think “bloody hell just do as your told DS!” But I think that’s normal

I have two boys - 10 and 7 - and although they so sometimes fight, on the whole I am enjoying motherhood MUCH more than I used to. Babies and toddlers were really hard work for me. I like conversation, people who can be reasonable and reasoned with, I am tidy and don't like my house to look like a bomb has hit it, and so the older they get the more I enjoy it!

I have one of each, aged 2yo and 1yo. I'm enjoying it a lot, but the sleep deprivation is really hard to cope with and parenting generally is a lot more exhausting than I'd expected.

Oh - and I like my sleep - so being woken multiple times in the night was hell! My boys know to let me sleep now and that makes life a whole lot better. How old are your DC OP?