To ask what you find/found hardest about being a parent to young children?

[Heepers]

For me, I think it is 100% the broken nights and exhaustion.

@SniggleSnarf

Sleep. And constant planning of mealtimes

I fucking hate mealtimes!

I have 2 boys - 21 months apart. They are constantly climbing on me, lookibg for me if I'm somewhere in the house. I'm definitely touched out.

Sleep deprivation. Bone numbing exhaustion. The relentless nature of feeding, changing, transporting... I miss getting on a train to go somewhere and not having to factor in a small person. I am essentially a slave. I will never have a second child. The first has completely shredded my life apart.

@GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing

I actually really love their company even though it sounds like I don’t!

I simultaneously love his company, and loathe all the chores that come with him!

Worry

Are they ill? I can't tell, do you think he's a bit sleepier than usual?

Will he grow out of this? I wish he would stop biting people!

He doesn't seem to have many friends. Is he lonely?

His nana has died. He doesn't understand she won't come back, now he cries every night thinking we will die and he'll be left alone. Is this normal?

Just so much added worry for things you can't control

The constant illnesses being brought home from nursery! Oh and Bing. I despise that little rodent.

The sheer fucking monotony of it. It lasts years too.

Relentless demands/requests/needs

The relentlessness, constantly having to be in their line of sight, planning nice things to do and them ruining with tantrums, no alone time, stupid made up boring games

I find the constant 'to do' list hard to cope with sometimes. It's never ending! I really struggle to ever switch off as there is always something that needs doing or someone that needs me.

The relentless tedium of it.
The constant 'Mummee, Mummeee, Mummeeeee' without a break.
Never having as much sleep as you need (and mine was/is a relatively good sleeper) but it's still almost impossible to get enough.
Always being 'on duty'
Never having a night away from her (although I finally managed this last week - she's almost six!)

Exhaustion. The constant cleaning and washing. Never being able just to pop to the shop with ease. Their little sharp dagger nails.

I could probably deal with each of these in isolation. But together makes for a real struggle: broken sleep, tantrums and relentlessness

The monotony. DS is 5 and a bloody handful, doesn't listen, hates me, rough with his one year old sister. It's exhausting.

The relentlessness of it, and having to be responsible for everything. Having to nag them into eating before we go out because left to their own devices they eat a few bites and then go back to charging around - and would then be crying of hunger 20 minutes later. Having to nag them to dress warmly enough, to go to the toilet,.to go to bed etc as they just haven't learned to think about their needs in 20 minutes rather than only now....

Currently parenting a 21 month old and a 4 year old and it’s all of the above!

The lack of consistent, good sleeps. Mine aren’t too bad overall but it feels like they alternate bad nights/early mornings, so we never get that elusive lay in!

The being constantly needed for food, entertainment, assistance, cuddles etc. Then not being able to do anything themselves and relying on me (or DH) for everything.

I sometimes wish for future years when they’re a bit more independent but then I also don’t want to wish it away. I’m not having any more babies and those snuggly cuddles before they go to sleep won’t be around for much longer.

Near constant physical exertion.

The lack of sleep. Even though dd2 slept through and was an amazing baby, dd1 even as a toddler was an arsehole with her sleep. Dd1 is 12 now and still takes ages to drop off to sleep.

the children 😏

And planning meals. I hate it. Wondering if I've done enough for DD. I cooked all the time when DS was little but it's bloody carnage evening times. Getting him to bed. I do feel bad for DD.

Lack of sleep - it's been so, so long since I had a full, uninterrupted nights sleep.

Lack of sleep and chatter. I'm a really quiet person and my son likes to talk to me every 10 seconds (not exaggeration), I want to enjoy it but at about 4pm I feel exhausted just from the talking and questions.

90% of it at the moment. DS is 3.

Waking up at 1am or 2am for THREE HOURS.
Bedtime taking an hour.
Fussy eating.
30 minutes to dress something akin to a jellied eel.
Being smacked in the face/leg/arm when he's frustrated.
Driving alone anywhere longer than 30 minutes with him in the back.

I cannot WAIT until he's school age and can get up at 4am on his own if he is so inclined.

The lack of time, to myself, just for watching Netflix and things like that. Even for life admin.
I'm always racing around, time seems to fly with two young kids.

All of the above, compounded by conflicting parenting approaches with my partner. We need each others help to handle having our daughter but often disagree with how each other handles her.

For me it was having to leave them in childcare as I had to work