What don't you miss as your children grow older?

[hobnobsaremyfavourite]

Saw the horrific words
World book day
On a thread earlier, bought me out in a cold sweat
People often talk about what they miss as their children grow up but as a parent of teens and adults I do not miss
Potty training
Weaning
World book day
PTA events
Broken sleep
Anyone else have things they don't miss 😂

I adored my breastfeeding years where I could fix almost anything with a slug from a boob. So easy.

Yes, me too ... I loved breastfeeding; the closeness, the peace, knowing they were ultimately always OK if I was there, e.g. even in a broken-down car. Although maybe I don't miss the 100% dependency but it was a price worth paying.

Oh, and bloody nits. Though I did discover that nit treatment is an excellent overnight deep conditioner.

Thanks Sparklingbrook. Suppose that does make sense as a downside.

Totally agree @Starflower25
Even the memory gives me the warm fuzzies.

Sleepless nights, yes, yes, yes.
Nappies, definitely.

Still in the throws of all the shit but glad to see the back of night waking (for now!) and dreading potty training. Will be so glad to get the buggy gone and not turn up at work with 3 toy cars and a stuffed dog

We did manage to go to a couple that were better @Starflower25 but they were few and far between.
One had a wavy slide that they polished with Pledge-that was good but most weren't. I guess it's not possible to boil wash the whole soft play every day.

And I'm definitely ready for them to stop bloody bickering!
Oh I'm still waiting & they're 17 & 19!
Although I can generally leave them to it now!
I don't miss the dreaded drop off with a childminder who wants to chat then stressing through traffic trying to get to work. Awful times, also nits & swimming lessons, especially the showers afterwards.

Just before they have mastered walking, that aching back pain of being hunched over holding child so they can "walk".

My youngest is 16 and we still have to do the school run as we live in a rural area and have to drop her in the next village to catch the bus.

She'll be going to uni in 18 months and I am looking forward to not being her taxi service and especially not being on the wrong end of her shitty moods at the end of the school day.

I think I'm looking forward to having my house/life back; but it's also a bit scary

I guess it's not possible to boil wash the whole soft play every day.

Conjures up a great picture though!

Nappies. Ds2 and his ability to do a massive wee just as the nappy came off.
Random screaming tantrums where they can't communicate what the problem is.
Having to dress them.
I certainly don't miss Bing Bunny, PJ masks, octonauts etc. Except they've been replaced with SpongeBob Square Pants.

That feeling of being confined to the house or having to take them with you to do ANYTHING. DS is 12 now and I can leave him alone if I have to get the shopping, or to the gym etc.

I was also thrilled to see the back of swimming lessons and soft play but now I'm in the midst of the mum taxi years...

Being woken multiple times every night, then getting everyone up at 6.30am to get them to school and me to work

DD shitting in her pants till she was 4

DD crying then throwing up with anxiety about going to nursery

Small baby screaming from 7pm to midnight for no apparent reason and being unable to work out what was wrong

Third baby crying from 4pm to 7pm every day, just when I had to make dinner, deal with three tired children, etc

DD being permanently attached to me - I am so not a babywearing parent

Trying to get them to leave someone's house when they're still having fun, and you have to get everyone home for the next thing

I love having teens.

Sleep deprivation
Bum wiping
The enormous faff of leaving the house with a baby/ toddler.
Breast feeding, yes I hated it
The unbearable boredom and isolation of mat leave.
Spending half my salary on nursery fees.
I think I've just talked myself out of having a second 😂

Vomit.

DD was very good at puking on me. Sometimes she would run towards me whilst puking.

Getting up at midnight because she'd puked in her bed, remaking the bed, cleaning the child, just in time for her to puke again in some sort of vomit circle of life.

Cold days when you are trying to get on 2 pairs of boots, hats, gloves jackets etc onto two toddlers (who seem to have grown extra limbs and are are impatient and twisty as they come) while fully prepared for the outdoors yourself. get one set done and the other has already lost their gloves or untied their boot etc in the meantime you are sweating to burst.

That mainly, oh and going swimming for very similar reasons.

Pooey nappies
Being touched all the time
Having to buckle and strap them into their car seats
Not being able to rest when you're poorly
Constant meal times
Cbeebies (but I did like Peppa Pig and Ben and Holly)
Having to guess what's wrong when they whine
Having to cart a massive pushchair about everywhere
Being tied to The Routine and having to pay big time if you dared to deviate from it
No lie-ins ever
Massive toys taking over the house
Potty training
Going to other people's houses who had older or no children and having to watch them like a hawk so they don't break or swallow anything

My son is 3 months old and I'd like him to get to a point and he can put his own bloody dummy in and then stop growing 😂

When they get too big for you to pick them up to give them a cuddle with their arms around your neck and their legs wrapped round your waist.

Not having to get up and get his breakfast on a weekend morning. DS is 10, and I love the fact he will just get up and sort himself out when he wakes up early.

potty training
lack of sleep
teaching how to ride a bike
colic crying
swimming lessons
being pregnant

The biggest milestone my youngest has yet to reach, which im really excited about is being able to reach the light switches. Nothing worse on a weekend morning hearing youngest shout that he needs a wee but the light isnt on...

Get a google home and smart bulb, should be easy enough to get a small child to say 'hey google, switch the light on'/

I have cold sweats at the thought of ever having to go to a toddler group again.

The endless hours sat at the side of the pool, DD did speed trials and the lifesaving so I had many years of this.

I like being able to shit in peace and have a shower in peace.

I don't miss trying to get a stroppy teenager out of bed for school.

I don't miss having bunches of giggling little girls to deal with on sleepovers.

I have a teen.
I do not miss:
School runs. ( only Collect if I'm feeling kind or I'm out and about)
School cake sales
School fayres
Book days.

I have a 2 Yr old and a baby . So I have it all to come again ffs.! I must be mad

I pretty much don’t miss any of it. Young children are needy, relentless and not great company. That accompanied by lack of sleep mean a heady combo of misery and drudgery.

They’re so much more fun as teenagers. Great company, funny, interesting, can pull their own weight chores-wise.