To so what’s your least favourite age to parent?

[SheABitSpicyToday]

My sister hates the newborn and toddler phase.

I loved it and now have a nearly 7 year old and am ashamed to admit I hate it. Have another own due in a few months and am worried about giving both enough time as the 7 year old seems to need me so much more than I anticipated.

Anyone else feel the same way? My dad said I was horrid from 6 till about 21 so that’s a long time

Newborns. Absolutely hated 0-4 months with mine. Or around 4 months.

Mine are 17 and 10 and never been as hard as they were when they were little. I like them more, they older they get.

The teenage years are killing me!!

3-4 with my son (now 5).

Currently pregnant with number 2, so we shall see.

Newborn by a mile. I have 2 teenagers and 1 adult now and I've been surprised to find out that the teen bit has been my favourite stage by a mile, mostly because the kids I had brought up suddenly turned into these people with strong, valid opinions. I had to sit up and listen and it turned out that they were really rather wonderful people in their own right, as opposed to 'just' my children whom I loved beyond measure.

I have a 5 and 9 year old and each was different. My eldest was a very difficult newborn, but lovely from about 18 months, and super now at 9. My younger was a super chilled baby but very difficult 3 and 4 year old. I think it depends on the child really!

Teenagers terrify me

When my baby turns 7 I’m going to have an annoying 7 year old AND a teenager to contend with

Looking back (I have 4 aged between 22 and 15), the newborn phase and the year before they start school

My daughter is 7 and an absolute joy at the moment. I found 2 - 4 quite hard with the toddling and tantrums.

Potty training

My daughter never had tantrums till recently. I think that’s what I’m struggling with. All of a sudden having to deal with tantrums at 7 years is old is exhausting.

Preschool years was the first thing that sprang to mind! Well DC1 was bloody awful then but DC2 was quite nice company. DC2 was a bugger of a baby tho... so probably depends on the child. I tend to find that all children under 5 are very exhausting though! Mine are 8 and 11 now. Really like this age. Still quite sweet and innocent but also independent and quite good company. Haven't tried the teenage years yet...so I might change my mind!

0-14 months. Awful

14m - 3yrs: awful. Tantrums - them. Weeping - me. No logic. No bribery possible. No negotiation. No sibling competition to yield results. Like mini tyrants ruling everyone with their despotic ways

Just the baby days. We are up to 14 now so there is room to backtrack but unless any of them start wailing inconsolably for four hours a day I don't think I'll be changing my answer.

Around 2.5-3 here.
The baby days (especially the newborn ones) were by far the easiest for me.

@SheABitSpicyToday

Teenagers terrify me

When my baby turns 7 I’m going to have an annoying 7 year old AND a teenager to contend with

My teenagers are brilliant! I mean yes they come with their challenges and hormones are fun in the girl especially but they're such good company now. I love it 😁

Around 15 months. That whiny high pitched crying they do when they can't communicate properly. And they're in the process of dropping their nap, so they're tired. Ugh, hated that age.

I have one 3 yo and pregnant with dc2 so only at the beginning stages but newborn stage was hardest. Then about 2 1/2 when dd stopped napping/potty training

0-6 months and 4-6 I hate equally

Daughter is 2 son is 9, with a newborn on the way. It's going to be interesting.

The first 2 years, all I wanted to do was be at work away from the clingy monster! Now I'm sad she's starting school soon

I didn't mind the newborn stage, all the oxytocin is quite nice and I had legitimate reasons to let the housework slip and not brush my hair.

I didn't like the 1-2 year old stage where they're mobile enough to get themselves into all sorts of shit but not old enough to understand why you're telling them no, don't fling yourself down the stairs/chew the cat/throw your fork. I remember it being a relentless slog - baby determined to maiming him/herself interspersed with episodes of full on losing their shit over the slightest of issues. There were lovely moments in amongst it but overall it was hard work and I felt like I was constantly in alert mode and needed eyes in my backside.

2-3(ish) was nice, still little enough to consider me to be a total rock star but old enough to be a bit more independent so it wasn't quite so full on all of the time. Those last six months before full time school started though? Fuck me those last six months are hard. They're ready for school, they're too big to be a baby but too little to be a big kid and so they push every last boundary to try and figure out what their place is.

All the stages aside from these have been fairly plain sailing by comparison. They have their difficult patches but I get a six hour break each day while they're at school and that makes it so much easier to deal with all the other stuff. DH mooted having another baby last week and was told where to stick it

Love a baby but toddlers nearly killed me!

1-4 so far I would say. Newborn was tough but it was kind of a special experience. Then they bloody start walking and although toddlers are adorable, they have no reasoning! And are trying to kill themselves! And you can't take your mind off them for one bloody minute! I love 4-8 so far (eldest 3 are 5-8). So smart. They have their own opinions. I really respect them and enjoy so much collaborating with them and planning nice things together. I'm teaching them to be very independent and helpful as much as I have energy for so that I can spend my time having peace and quiet or chats and fun with them.

Mine ate 8 & 10 and I love it, but 2-3.5/4 nearly sent me over the edge. The tantrums, the potty training, the complete unreasonableness, nightmare!

I liked them all.
Once I recovered from child birth babies were a bit boring. Teens were the best. Loved those years.