Wondering whether to ttc..is 7 yr age gap too much

[MickeyMouse111]

We really wanted a second child but with one thing or another we're only just in a position to ttc.
But now I'm doubting it...
....DS would be 6.5+ by the time another child would be born if we're blessed to conceive

I just wonder whether it'll alter everything too much ... he's so used to receiving undivided attention (and likes it), we're used to only having to think about one DC and that has quite often felt like enough, I worry that the age gap would be too large for the children to really enjoy each other, DC likes playing with older kids rather than younger kids, we're older ourselves, I feel like mat leave will be okay but can't imagine juggling two DC with work etc, I think I'm forgetting what the broken sleep was like but have vague recollections of it being gruelling...etc....

...sometimes I think that sure the short term will be hard but we'll figure it out as we go, and it'll be great long term, at other times I feel like we should quit while we're ahead.

Yeh that's what I'm worried about...but the many posts above seem to suggest it'll be okay long term...

Well I suppose - when your older kid is doing stuff with her friends and not wanting to hang about with family and the younger is old enough to do reasonably good things…
I wouldn’t personally. Why upset a lovely dynamic

Yes you do have a few years of that but you sort of just get on with it.
And sometimes it does mean you divide and conquer, go to the cinema and Dad goes with one child, Mum goes with the other.

Other family things like the beach or the zoo age doesn't matter.

Bowling one bowls, the other uses the ramps thing.

It's more of a pain with things that have height restrictions but that's always going to be an issue with siblings. And its not like you do stuff with height restrictions on a daily or weekly basis.
Places like Disney will let.you do parent swap which has the advantage older child gets to go twice (once with each parent)

It can be a little like raising two only children but that is what it is.

There are 8 years between my sister and I. I was excited for her to come along, but when she did, my relationship with my DM changed drastically. Because of the age gap, I didn't have much of a relationship with my sister growing up.

Just to add, I'm sure my DM thought we were fine and that the gap between didn't matter. It didn't work for our family, but that's not to say that it doesn't for others.

My brother and sister are seven and ten years older than me. It's not really something I'd give a second thought. They're unlikely to grow up playing together but really, so what? Plenty of siblings who are close in age can't stand each other and don't play together either.

I'm 8.5 years older than my sister. There will always be pros and cons to a bigger gap. I was old enough to look after myself to some degree by the time she was born. I could also help out a bit. And I was at school, so no multiple childcare costs.

But we weren't very close when she was younger (we are very close now). I was very used to being an only child and it was weird for me to suddenly have a baby in the house and not be the sole focus. Tbh though, I think it was good for me. I wasn't used to sharing and had to deal with it.

Ultimately, only you can decide if it's right for your family. But I know my parents don't regret the gap (they had issues ttc which is why there's a big gap). And I wouldn't swap my baby sis for the world ❤️

My husband is far closer to his brother who is six years younger than him and share many interests (and now same friends they are older), than I am to my twin brother who I have absolutely nothing in common with and couldn't even tell you the last time we spoke.

I wouldn't get too hung up on days out and holidays, my husband and his brother managed plenty when they were younger and even though they had a large age gap they liked the same sports and music so it was easier for their parents to do things with them. I remember me and my twin doing seperate things with our parents simply because we were so different and had nothing in common.

Due to a bumpy TTC journey for no.2 we have 7 years between ours.

I had worried that they would be more like two only children than siblings, but they love each other, play and fight together — and the bond between them is lovely.

Maybe they’ll grow apart as they get older, but even siblings closer in age do that. Either way, they both love having each other in their lives (even if my eldest thought the youngest was “boring” at first as a newborn and asked if we could return him) 😂

I know someone who has a 7 year gap. Her DC1 loved having an excuse to play with Lego and Playmobil as a young teen in the pretence that it was all about playing with DC2.

7 years between me and dsis (who is the middle child) and she's also my best friend.

6 year age gap between ds and dd. Ds doted on her as a baby, helped me entertain and care for her as she developed, and is now able to babysit her while me and dh go out for some time together! She's also now at the age where she really looks up to him, and they play together quite nicely (despite him being a grumpy teenager!)