Most difficult & easiest period ?

[Hobby2014]

What ages have you found easiest? What ages have you found the hardest?

DS is almost 7 months and has been a really easy baby from 0-6months. Slept well. Very happy. Night weaned at about 12 weeks. Happily play on his own on the floor.

But this last month has been hard. He's continuously whingey, doesn't want to be put down, but still moans when you're holding him. Won't play on the floor. Gets bored really easy. Jumperoo for example he's whinging after a couple of minutes, whereas before I'd have to take him out because he'd been in there too long. He's waking lots in the night just for his dummy to be put back in. Hardly ever woke in the night before. He's getting frustrated all the time.

Not sure if it's to do with being unwell a lot recently - colds, coughs, chest infection & conjunctivitis.

But I'm just finding it a lot more difficult. Some days I just go out for a walk just so hopefully he's distracted and won't be whingy and I'll just get some time with no crying and whinging.

Just wondered what others easy periods and hard period were. Is this still easy compared to what the future brings?!

Look into Wonder Weeks and it may help explain the whingy stages.

I found the first 2 weeks horrendous, but that was birth related. There were some feeding issues that bothered us at 4 months and again at 6 months. He's been great since he started talking and 3.5 is sooo much fun! But tbh I think the above just reflects who I am as a mother, I had a baby cos that's how you get a child!

Mine has been whingey almost from birth. It has almost destroyed me. She's 18 months now and a bit easier but constant crying whinging fussing moaning has been so so tough. I have a high needs baby who is just generally frustrated at the world.
it maybe worth having ears checked. Possible allergies/ intolerances as I'm presuming he is weaning now?

Ds is only 15 months so we're not much further along than you but I found 7 months hard too. Ds was very easy after the shock of the first 3 weeks or so and slept really well until around this time which is when he learned to sit up/crawl/cruise. Sleep deteriorated quite badly until we sleep trained him at 11 months ish. Now is hard in a different way! Keeping up with him, keeping him amused and safe are hard work but he's such a little character it's lovely too. Since he's turned one he's also much more cuddly

I personally found the first 12 months really hard work (with both dc). DC1 was a high needs baby/toddler and tbh I found everything very tough till she started Pre-School at 3.5. She absolutely thrived at Pre-School and adores Reception. I now think she just didn't enjoy being a baby! She's also quite bright as it turns out so perhaps I was under-stimulating her at home
DC2 has been much easier all round. I still didn't much enjoy the little baby stage but I find him hilarious and great fun as a 2 year old.

My sister has teenagers now and longs for the good old baby days. Her eldest has just got a car and the worry is terrible. GCSEs, A level, friends, money. It's a minefield apparently.

On the other hand my dad says he's enjoying this stage of parenting. I'm 35 and my sister's 45. So that's something to look forward to.

Glad I'm not alone and a few others have found things hard too!
Wonder weeks for his age makes sense. He always wants to be picked up, arms out for me, always looking where I am, and it said that was normal so hopefully it's a phase.
I reckon I'll find it easier when I can draw/paint/play doh/park(where he runs around)/Lego/clay with him etc

I love 6 months dc is in routine sleeping through and laughing all the time and it's before the dreaded toddling stage when you have to run round behind them all the time. After 6 months, 7 years is the best age. My 7 year old is loving and also independent.

Toddler years (ages 1-3) - I HATE them!

Love little babies and children once they've turned 4+

However I've not experienced the teenage years yet........there may be worse to come

Parenting just goes in phases, sometime things are ticking along nicely everyone happy, then you might hit a week or two (or longer) with a cranky 2 yo, difficult 6 yo, mardy 8 yo - different ages different issues - but always phases and they always pass, you might need to adjust the routine or give more 1-on-1 attention or it might be sickness or teething or lack of sleep but it won't be long until you hit a smooth patch again.
That is my experience anyhow.

having a newborn was dark for me.

she's now 10 months and although she's demanding, she can communicate what she wants to a degree/I know her better

Toddler phase (disclaimer eldest is 4).

Dc1 was exceptionally clingy and I couldn't get a moments peace from her. She was always crap at napping ditched her nap at 22 months so I had no respite.

Dc2 is more than happy on his own but is a complete liability. Is always destroying himself, another child or the house so I'm always running after him.

I'm dreading teenage years though.

I don't even recall seven months in either of mine - currently 3 and 5 - it really wasn't a phase that left any lasting impression, so no for me it wasn't a tough bit. But then both of mine had cmpi and were shite sleepers and dc2 arrived three months prematurely so I discovered how hard babies could be (frankly to keep alive). For boys the big testosterone surge at four is soo tough. It's like having a football hooligan changeling in your house for a few months, for girls the three year hormone surge is also testing but not as bad. The hardest phase isn't age dependent but going from one child to plural especially if one becomes desperately ill. But after 100 plus days in hospital and one marriage later it's all worth it in the end.

With my DS he was easy breezy until he was 2. 4 was tricky and then he was a dream until now, he is 8 and becoming "independent".

My DD was easy from about 8 months until age 3 when she was quite tricky. She is now 7 and a delight.