To think two under two is exhausting and crazy?

[hiiiya]

But equally to wonder if it’s notably ‘worse’ than two under two and a half or two under three even? Is there something about under two that’s exceptionally intense?

Well obviously.
But it was your choice to have 2 under 2.

In my experience, it's all the nappies. All the poo. Just so much faeces.

Luckily DD potty trained when DS was around 5 months old so we didn't have tandem nappies for too long.

Also the neediness of the elder child and my inability to attend to her because of the baby's demands.

But it's a good age gap for a lot of reasons. Right now my two are both watching and enjoying the same cartoon, and play with more or less the same toys.

Try 2 under 14 months, it's blissful. Now, at 15 and 16..

14 months between my oldest two and the first year was so hard. But now 13 and 12 are best of friends.

I haven’t; I’m just asking because I’m interested.

I have a 15 month gap between my kids. I had a newborn and a 15 month old alone during lockdown while being extremely clinically vulnerable. It was bloody hard work and still it still is. God do the bicker but, they like the same things, they are best friends and they are a year apart at school. I'm exhausted but also so proud.

The quicker you have them, the quicker you get to your youngest being 4, which is the goal.

I was lucky - SAHM, with DH, family nearby and 2 girls of sunny disposition, 18 months apart, who slept well. So not always, but I know it can be....

I've got one two year old, but friends with two. Most don't seem to find it that much harder - I think it's probably harder to have one potty training and one in nappies than everyone in that same stage? But there's also going to be a lot dependant on your personality and things.

Arguably I'd say from my experience, those with the younger older child have found it easier, as the older child is less used to having all your attention. Those with 3/4 year olds seem to have had more of a struggle because it's such a change, and they're so used to having your attention.

I can quite see this. I am not quite counting the hours down but … close.

Mine have a 20 month gap, everything has pros and cons - I feel lucky to have been able to have them so quickly and now they are both adults I’m very thankful to the past me.

2y 3m age gap here. 2 and 0 was ok, 3 and 1 nearly killed me, 4 and 2 was very hard, 5 and 3 we could see the light at the end of the tunnel, 6 and 4 is practically a doddle aside from the bickering and constant whining.

I can tell you when the low age gap IS definitely harder though... when 2 are going to uni at opposite ends of the country at the same time. Start saving now! 😱

I had 4 years between 1 and 2 another 4 between 2 and 3 then 13 months between 3 & 4, it was tough but it did kind of get the baby years over together, then toddler they could play together and they are a year a part at school so have many of the same friends it definitely has its pros and cons, no 4 was a huge surprise, so yes my choice to continue but wouldn’t change it now,

Mine is two and a half years, it is really tough sometimes. We’re at 4 and 1 now, but 2 in summer. I’m hoping 5 and 3 will be a turning point!

Mine are almost exactly 2 years apart, so I only had “2 under 2” for a few days. I agree with PP that 1 and 3 is harder than 0 and 2… About to have “3 under 4” though so I’m sure that I’ll discover a mere 1 and 3 is a breeze! 😂😂😂

2 year age gap means intense baby/toddler period followed by years of best of friends/worst of enemies and the worst is a levels and gcse at the same time. Two at university is a financial commitment that needs careful planning.

From a child's point of view I can say it's great, my sister and I are really close with a 14 month age gap. We were best friends and worst enemies at times growing up but I love the closeness now.

My children are 25 months apart, 2nd was a good baby though so maybe I had it easy. Teen years were much harder than baby years IMO.

Eighteen month gap, followed by a 2 year gap, so 6 months of 3 under 4 years old. Hard work, but I was so in the baby/toddler zone that I just got on with it and didn't go back to work after no 2 until no 3 was at school. They're now 24, 26 and 27. Great friends, great support for each other, but a lot of time and patience has gone into making that happen. Now they've all gone through university, DH and I have more money than we've ever had! Don't really know what to do with it.

I have a 19 month gap, 2 under 2 was the easiest.. 2 under 3 is hell.. now one just over 2.5 and almost 1 🤣 only 6 months left of this phase then I'm hoping 2 under 4 goes easier on us 😅 our thought process was it gets the hard years over with at the same time, okay the hard bits get prolonged as there's 2 of them but still what was best for us, I couldn't imagine doing the school run with a baby but then the thought of giving baby so much of your time while the older one is at school sounds lovely but luckily my older one stayed in nursery while I was off so younger one got lots of 1 on 1 & now I look at newborns and grimace because there's no bloody way I'm doing that ever again 😬🤣

I can't wait to get to this point 🤣 2 lots of nursery fee's isn't fun but I can't wait to get to a point where my wage is my own 🤣

I had 3 under 3 and I loved it but I think I'm in the minority as I didn't find it difficult, either I am very lucky or had exceptionally chilled babies.

Out of all my mum friends I was the only one to enjoy school holidays.

Don't get me wrong they had their moments tantrums etc and son 1 would have to stay where he was if he fell asleep as moving him was a no no. Son 2 was a fan of getting up at 5 am and still is at 32.

Everyone has very different experiences.

It is, but at least you get the baby/toddler stage out the way pretty much together.

Don't wish it away . . .

I think we can if we wish to! Everyone enjoys different things.