To be sick of older people remembering early years through rose tinted glasses?

[lollyloo88]

So just when you want a bit of advice or a bit of solidarity you speak to you parents, in-laws or your elderly neighbours and they act like young kids are the best thing to walk on this earth. Obviously they are but they're also really hard work!!!

I'm fed up of my neighbours treating my DS like he's something to worship, when we just step out the front door and he's been an absolute little git just 2 minutes earlier when I had to force his shoes on.

And I'm fed up of MIL saying everything is "just a little phase" when it feels like one long phase of hard work!!

Anyone else feel irritated by this lack of understanding? Maybe I should palm off DS on them for longer than a couple of hours and see how they feel!!

They are right though. Most things are just a phase, little children are wonderful and it’s worthwhile trying to take some pleasure in this age, as it’s over quicker than you think. That doesn’t mean it’s not also difficult, exhausting, sometimes boring etc.

Basically older people can't win. I'd have loved my neighbors to have thought the sun shone out of my kids' behinds. The more people that admired them, the better I felt about the world!

I honestly did love the toddler years, to be honest. 18 months to four years old was probably my favorite bit of parenting. So if I look at your kids, admire them and envy you, I'm being absolutely genuine. And I'm not to know you've just struggled to get their boots on.