Jealousy

[Chickz]

Does anyone ever feel jealous of other parents babies?
I have accepted my high needs baby, now 1 years old but it does not stop me from feeling jealous and envious when I see other people's easy babies. Just lie there asleep. Sit happily in a high chair at a restaurant. Smile and gurgle on the train. Mine is really difficult and although I wouldn't change her for the world, I'm always comparing and dreaming of a time when I'll be able to do all that.
I know parents that take doing those things for granted. For us, it's a struggle and we have had to leave a restaurant many a time due to a meltdown.
Just doesnt seem fair that some have it so easy but some have it so incredibly tough.
Are these normal feelings?

All babies have their quirks, and own personality, I'm sure those darling children you are jealous of have their moments!

My DS was always generally very well behaved in public and would not run off, sit in a high chair, sit nicely with me at singing groups but is now suffering from extreme separation anxiety, and a very sensitive little chap that finds it hard to be social, which I find hard...... In hindsight his great behaviour was the beginning of his very quiet nature emerging something that I've had to get my head around (I'm very outgoing and enjoy socialising, so his polar opposite nature is a surprise!)

I think realising that my child is his own person and so much of their personality is not influenced by your parenting, has helped me embrace his individuality as a positive.

I feel your pain. My DS is just over a year and never sits still. Rhyme time, story time etc - no chance. He only sits still for five seconds before running off. I longingly stare at the well behaved kids sitting on their parents knees as I try to wrestle DS out the door. I try to convince myself that he'll maybe calm down when he gets older and starts talking but a part of me realises that may just be wishful thinking

It's very easy for people to make out they have easy babies but you only live with your own.
I remember being at one of those mother and toddler groups or rather cliques. Listening to mums bragging about how their little angels, never cried, were potty trained at 1. Had never wet the bed. Never had a bottle., and would never ever throw a tantrum.
I swear I must have had the only baby that ever cried and the only toddler who ever had a tantrum.

But in answer to your question no I have never been jealous of anyone else's children. In my eyes with all her faults my dd is an absolute diamond. I must have done right in my life to get a prize like her, but I guess any mum would say that.

My ds was an extremely "busy" baby, he was constantly on the move and pushing his physical limits, I remember meeting up with my post natal group when the babies were all around 6 months and ds was cruising around the room so I couldn't sit for a moment as I had to follow this little baby (who had absolutely no sence of danger) around, the other mums had babies who lay on the floor or possibly say wobbly on their mum's knee, they got to chat and generally have a civilised time. My ds also learnt to climb out of high chairs, trollies, the pushchair and any other baby containing device at about 8 months. The problem is that to moan about how hard work ds was almost came across as boasting and drawing attention to the fact that he was rushing through his milestones, I did wistfully think oh how lovely it would be if I could sit in a cafe and drink a coffee with a friend with a content baby smiling at passers by from his highchair.

Ds is now nearly 2 and it is getting easier, it's almost as if the other babies have now reached the stage where they have a compulsion to constantly move and push the boundaries where as ds has really calmed down lots, from around 18 months he could speak in simple scentances and he became in readable sociable and now as long as your constantly chatting/singing he will sit still and engage.

A good friend of mine has a baby who is so placid and passive, she confided in me that she worries about her child and feels envious about my ds's get up and go and sociability, I told her I was envious at how easily content and relaxed her baby is, it seems there is always something to worry and challenge us.