What's your favourite stage of childhood to be a parent?

[PinkPurplePeacock]

Just wondering. Currently enjoying newborn cuddles

8 months to about 4, loved that bit. 9yrs was great, 15 currently and very much highs and lows.

It is impossible to choose! I do miss the ages that have passed but then wouldn't swap who they are now. I do think KS2 is amazing for absolute enthusiasm and starting to be able to take them to great things like the best museums and the theatre and out for trips. But then the chatting when they are older is lovely.

Most rewarding age to parent was 8-11 for me. High School/teen years are horrific. They do come out the other side though.

I absolutely loved 0-4 months, he was an angel baby until the 4 month regression. So lots of cuddles and pottering about/meeting friends whilst he slept or watched the world go by.
Loved all of his baby/toddler years too but it was tiring.
8 (almost 9 now) and I'm enjoying this age. A bit more independent but still young enough to be cuddly, loving and funny.

Mine all had various struggled at school so I would say pre and post school and holidays! I'm very fond of babies, i have to say and funny silly four year olds. Older teens are good company but exams, driving, jobs, etc can be v stressful (remember thinking you'd never have to sit an exam again, well sometimes it's even worse when it's your kids sitting then!)

I love newborns.

"Boy aged 6" is pretty much my idea of a perfect companion.

For me it was from newborn until teens, that was easy and enjoyable. When they hit the teens it became harder!

I have four children (not that that makes me any kind of expert on children) and my favourite stage has been 7 to 11 years. They don't need you for everything, they can be quite independent,(dress themselves etc) , you can have lovely chats with them, they still love you and think you are ok , they still ask you for your opnions, they accept your guidance, (on the whole), . I love that age.

Though I love them when they are small as well but I found it quite hard going at times. I love my teenagers but they can be extremely hard going but also lovely.

My eldest is about to turn 19 and she is absolutely lovely. Quite like the 19 year old stage too.

18 months - 2 is cute
3 and 4 has good patches
5 - 8 is good

Not got further than that yet

Worst is newborn, closely followed by 4-6 months. Basically the first 6 months are my idea of hell. I had two premature non sleeping tongue tied babies which may be why, but also I just don’t find newborns particularly cute. They’re a bit like moles.

[quote PinkPurplePeacock]@JulietBravo999 can I clarify you are not including 0-1 in your bracket? If so can I ask why?

My DD is 6 weeks... Just hit peak fussiness, sleep regression and growth spurt but I still adore her... When she sleeps and isn't crying, well I adore her when she's grumpy and crying tbh but it's stressful especially when you're not sure how to make them feel better and are constantly rotating with feed/nappy change/nap options to make them happier again!
This newborn phase is disappearing in a heart beat, I'm missing weeks 1&2 already![/quote]
Ahhhh just you wait a few weeks. 3-6 months was golden for us. You start to get into some vague semblance of a routine with feeding and sleeping, finally you feel confident leaving the house. They’re alert and interactive, seems like every day marks a new milestone of sitting, babbling, rolling over etc, but they’re also still gorgeously chubby, bald and still have their lovely newborn smell.

The first 6 weeks are harrrrrrd.

0 - starting school. I'd do that stretch again in a heartbeat.

Mine are 13 and 9 now and 13 is horrendous, both in attitude and school issues. 9 is delightful but I'm always aware that I'm on borrowed time. I'd love to go back to the early years.

I've enjoyed every stage and I think it gets better and better. Teens are a lot of fun.

I find the baby stage very boring. DH loves babies so we are sorted there.

My favourite ages and stages for caring for GC are between 2 and 12, when they are mobile and enjoy the outdoors and family board games, books, free play etc

I also enjoy the teenage stage except all they mainly want to do is sit on their phones or games consoles 😔 However, I love it when they have typical teenage angst and ask my opinion on how to deal with it.
That makes me feel useful and valuable as if my opinion matters, whether they go with my recommendations or not. Teenagers are an enigma yet so adorable (sometimes) 🙈

I love them young, especially the baby stage. Some got to be a pain earlier than others and it depends on their personalities. It's a sad time when they stop coming for hugs.

Newborn to three months, before the sleep regression kicked in with DD. Just so lovely and snuggly. Then 8 - 12 months - eating, sleeping reliably, easily entertained. And three-ish - talking, biddable, easily pleased. She’s now nearer four and there are signs of rebellion but she’s still utterly lovely. Incredibly caring and attentive and smart.

I love it when you recognise them as an individual in their own right; they have their own thoughts and reasoning, and will have a conversation. It could be 4 or 14.

I hated 0-18 months. Loved 18 months- 4. But then we hit covid and I've found the last year quite difficult. I'm hoping it's a covid thing and we can now move on from homeschooling and me being super stressed at work for so long.

Definitely 14 and 17 years old (as they are now)!

It's like having two mini-adults along with us, with their own strongly developed personalities and opinions and ridiculous sense of humour.

We're lucky in that they both have a good independent life without us, but are happy (particularly our younger DD) to also spend time with us. They're also extremely transparent about their lives, what they get up to and how they feel about it.

I feel this is a peak time and hope it continues for some years, but it could go either way. I'm fully prepared for the point when we could suddenly become irrelevant overnight...

Anywhere between newborn and 10 is my favourite time.

Teen years are rough.

Girls 3-8

Boys 2-7 so far

When they’re asleep! (Half joking)

Seriously though, different with each child! Hated the newborn stage with colicky DD, looooved it with content DS. Just take whatever good you can from each current stage, they really do grow so quickly

@Bigoldmachine

as Michael McIntyre said "you never love your children more than when they're unconscious but still breathing"🤣

if you haven't seen it watch his "Go to sleep" routine. it's hilarious. and so so true

Newborns, so easy even with the wakes, it's a million times easier to settle a newborn vs a older baby in my experience, they are totally portable, with my first (not with my 2nd and third as had toddlers to look after !) I watched loads of Netflix, spends loads of time on the couch, mooching around shops, v easy.
I found from 18 months to 2 1/2 v v v difficult with all three, super physical, wouldn't sit still for 5 seconds, often slept way worse than when they were small. They were adorable but omg a million times more difficult than newborns. Love 3 upwards , it just gets better for me but there's always challenges and I'm not massively looking forward to the teenager stage. Enjoy your first newborn op, it's a very unique and special time!

But my favourite thing is watching my dcs together, they are all such friends and seeing them grow up together has been incredible.

1yo are the best.
Toddling, but not so fast that you can't catch them.
Learning to talk, new words everyday.
Everything is new and exciting to them. A leaf! Amazing! A puddle. Wonderful. A banana, delicious!
And they still sleep a lot and are still light enough to carry. I loved being able to chuck my DD in a rucksack carrier and take her on a walk somewhere beautiful and see her appreciate it.