To ask why some parents do this?

[bantuknots73]

Can I ask why some parents refer to their child's age in months? For example say if a friend, family member or even someone random asks how old your child is now and you reply saying, 'oh he/she is 28 months.'
Can I ask why?

When I was a teenager I never understood why people did this but thought I just didn't understand enough about having kids😂
But even now I seriously don't understand. Isn't it easier to say 'oh he/she just turned 2?' Please let me know!! It's seriously been bugging me since joining MN😂 I saw a comment recently where someone said their child is 37 months. I was so confused!

When they're first born you tend to count in months after the first two months or so, and the habit just sticks.

Normally you’d say the age in month until they are 2 years old. The difference between 13 months and 23 months is huge. After that I’d say 2, 2 and a half, 3 etc.

I think past two years it's less important. Before then, there can be a big difference in development within even a couple of months in some cases, so 18 months and 14 months are more relevant when asking for advice than just '1' which encompasses a massive range of developmental milestones.

Since DD was 2 she's either been 'just turned 2, 2 and a half, or 3 in Feb'. But if I was posting on here with a specific question about development then months might be relevant.

Don't worry about it bbut brush up on your 12 times table.

The one that puzzles me is why a mum was referring to her premature DC's age as his birthday being his due date.

I think it's so they seem younger than they are. Perhaps they prefer to think of them in baby terms for as long as possible.

I think it makes sense when they’re under 2 to refer to them in months.
Between two to five should be rounded to the nearest half year. 6 and over can be whole year only!
There’s SUCH a variation between a 13 month old and a 23 month old yet they’re both still ‘one’.

Anyone counting in months past 9 months is ridiculous. I often see it as a signifier that we won't be friends

@Tibtab

Normally you’d say the age in month until they are 2 years old. The difference between 13 months and 23 months is huge. After that I’d say 2, 2 and a half, 3 etc.

Agree

Development is measured by months up until 2

After 2 it doesnt matter so much.

Once they’re two there really is no need, a colleague still refers to months (39 at the moment!), but then she still posts a monthly photo with a card saying how many months.

@HeadToToesNo

Anyone counting in months past 9 months is ridiculous. I often see it as a signifier that we won't be friends

You sound like a twit

Depends what you’re talking about I guess.
If you’re talking about, say, potty training, it might be more helpful to give a more precise age.
If anyone asks me how old DD is, I say 2 and a half. But if I was posting a question about potty training I’d be more specific, as 27 months is different to 33 months but both might be rounded to about 2 and a half if speaking more generally.

@Tibtab

Normally you’d say the age in month until they are 2 years old. The difference between 13 months and 23 months is huge. After that I’d say 2, 2 and a half, 3 etc.

Ah right that actually makes sense but even then wouldn't you say, 'they just turned 1' or 'they're 2 next month.' I've always thought that would be easier

It's quicker to say 13 months

Why do your friends say they do it? It's been a while since I had young children and don't remember if other mums did this, I certainly didn't but I think I would have noticed it if they did.

Is it a more recent thing?

@Simonjt

Once they’re two there really is no need, a colleague still refers to months (39 at the moment!), but then she still posts a monthly photo with a card saying how many months.

Bless! I think that's kind of sweet in a way. I'm sure she doesn't want to acknowledge that her baby is growing up

In my experience it is because they want to baby them for as long as possible.
I stopped counting in months once each DS turned 1 year old

@HeadToToesNo

Anyone counting in months past 9 months is ridiculous. I often see it as a signifier that we won't be friends

I think I'd agree, including it being a signifier of 'unlikely to be a kindred spirit', even if I'd put the upper limit a bit higher at about a year and a half.

@SickAndTiredAgain

Depends what you’re talking about I guess. If you’re talking about, say, potty training, it might be more helpful to give a more precise age. If anyone asks me how old DD is, I say 2 and a half. But if I was posting a question about potty training I’d be more specific, as 27 months is different to 33 months but both might be rounded to about 2 and a half if speaking more generally.

I think it's understandable if you're asking for advice and you'd want it to be age specific. I meant if a friend or someone was asking you about your child and how old they were. Not to give you any advice or anything

@SirensofTitan

Why do your friends say they do it? It's been a while since I had young children and don't remember if other mums did this, I certainly didn't but I think I would have noticed it if they did.

Is it a more recent thing?

I doubt it's a more recent thing but can't be absolutely sure. Only a few of my friends have kids but all of us still have babies under 1. One of my friends has a daughter who's 2 but she refers to her a daughter as 2 years old as opposed to whatever amount of months

It depends on context really. It would be odd as a response to ‘how old is your child’ but potentially sensible in relation to a question about development as a nearly 3 year old is very different to a just turned 2yo.

Yes I always thought this was bonkers but after having a baby it's because the milestones are so close together that counting in years doesn't make sense. A 3 month old is vastly different to a 9 month old. Baby clothes are also marked in months so after a while you get used to thinking like that.

For later years, it's easier for parents to compare milestones. 15-18 month is when most enter the toddler phase and start running, climbing, eating all foods etc. 20-30 months is when they may start talking or being potty training. Because so many of the developmental steps fall between one age, it doesn't make sense to say "X started sleeping through at 2 years old, started talking at 2 years old and was potty trained at 2 years old".

It's only around 3 that counting in years starts making more sense.

I count in months until age 1, then it's in years with added extra info only if really needed....(e.g. just turned one, or two next month) .

I’m 717 months.

I counted in months because everything else did. Clothes were generally in months, health checks, centile measurements, medication dosages etc were all done in months. I had no brain available to be converting between months and years, I was always terrible at times tables! Once she got to about 2 then it became easier to work in years.