To ask those with older children - what age did you find hardest?

[annie987]

I was debating this earlier with a friend. We both have similar aged children but completely disagreed on our favourite / least favourite age - she hated terrible twos but liked the teenage years whereas I’m the polar opposite.
This led us to wonder if there is a general consensus out there.
So which age did you find easiest / most difficult?

My two are adults now, and I found the teen years the hardest, but not because of their behaviour, because they were genuinely lovely kids. It was hard because they become so much more independent, and while you need to encourage that, you also need to decide what the limits are. You have to nurture their growing up but you still have to protect them, often against themselves! No matter how sensible your teens are, they can still have some serious lapses in judgement which could have dire consequences.

Watching with interest, currently finding 2 year old tough

For me, 0-1. He was a very demanding baby and the lack of sleep and crying nearly killed me.

Hardest: 13-17 years by a country mile

Easiest: 0- 3 months and 7-10 years

16 to 18 was the toughest. DD is now nearly 20 and it's still stressful, but sixth form was bloody awful. Possibly because she'd been angelic and then at 16 decided to go off the rails. I think I've aged about two decades in two years.

DS1 is 23 & DS2 is 19.

I would say age 4 for DS1 (the terrible twos had nothing on the fearsome fours!) and around 15/16 for both. Not slamming doors or trying the handles on parked cars kind of thing, more the moods & the total unwillingness to communicate with me about anything unless absolutely necessary.

They are both lovely, well adjusted, chatty adults now though. Somehow .

Dc are 11, 13 and 18. By far the hardest has been the teen years. Dd was horrific for about 5 years. Only just survived tbh.

I've been struggling with DS16 for about a year now 🙄. DS11 is still perfectly lovely!

2-4 was hardest I think. The relief once the youngest got to about 5 and they didn't need attention every second. I do feel a bit nostalgic for those days but remember finding it really hard work.
Mine are teens now and it's a lovely time. I think 7-11 was my favourite though, before they start rolling their eyes at you
The first couple of years can be lovely but very much depends on what sort of baby you have, DD was a delight but DS not so much.

DC are 17 & 14

I found 0-3 the hardest. Like, really soul destroying.

Love teens ❤️

13-16. Babies and toddlers are so easy compared to teen angst

Easiest prob 5-8/9

Teenagers are hell. When you look back at when they were babies, you realise how little trouble they were. You knew where they were, they didn’t argue with you, they weren’t cheeky, they didn’t slam doors, and they smiled and giggled rather than scowling. Happy days!

It depends what you mean by difficult I suppose. I found 3-7 the hardest in terms of actual physical hard work.

As the parent of very easy, lovely 19 & 22 yr olds who have never given me a moments trouble, I found it much harder emotionally at ages 17-19 when they are out and about, learning to drive, drink, travelling abroad. It's very hard to step back and not micromanage them and worry about all the risks you can't protect them from.

The beginning of puberty till around 16

Currently the most difficult ages are 7,12 and 14. Ask me again next year!

Physically demanding 18 months to 3. Never sat still, had to get up early. Constant soft play, had to supervise play dates and craft etc... found primary years lovely. DC1 a bit of an arse age 13... lots better at 15. DC 13 still lovely but emotionally draining. Boys/looks/fashion etc etc

Teenagers. Handsdown. I have two teenage DS 13 and 17 and still ongoing hell tbh, emotionally. 9 year old DD is a breeze in comparison (she is still a brat but a compliant, communicative, cute one). Found myself wanting a baby today (41, no chance) and I think its because the DS's are so horrible to me, I want a DC who actually loves me

Definitely the teen years. When they’re little you know where they are and who they’re with, whereas when they’re teens that doesn’t apply.
DD1 - terrible time with her at around 13 or 14. Lasted about a year. She’s 19 now and we’re like good friends. We do a lot together. We had a 4 night trip to Barcelona last November just the 2 of us. Was lovely.
DD2 - 16. Terrible time for about the last year. She’s very moody and sullen. Spends a lot of time in her room alone despite my best efforts. She’s depressed and has been referred for chronic fatigue which certainly isn’t helping things at the moment.

3
and then 16-18 for dd (but ill)
14 to about 24 for ds but more alpha and headstrong and pushed boundaries

6 - 10 divine

16 -20

Now: 15 and 17 year old. I'm praying it won't get any harder although it might once DS starts driving; then I'll have a whole new lot of worry.

Ha following, mine are still 5 and 3 and I am enjoying being away from those toddler years, the sleep deprivation almost killed me

Bilgepumper or mess up your clean kitchen, eat constantly, have stinking rooms, shout down headphones at their mates at all hours, grunt at you, and the worse not tell you anything when they are clearly very unhappy. I much prefer a crying baby so you can actually DO something!

I don’t enjoy babies. Under 1 was my least favourite age.