If you could do it all again, would you? and what would you do diffferently?

[pollypentapeptide]

If you could start from scratch again and go right back to the beginning, would you do it?

Right now, I am feeling like such a crap mum to my DD age 13 that I would willingly go back and do the 13 year stint again but this time I would do it 110% better and be better prepared.

Is raising a teenager always this hard? (and you can add a mother going through v early menopause to that mix!)

Oh well. Piss flaps then, I am an awful mother!

My DC's are only 3 and 10 weeks so can't comment on teenagers, other than I was one in the dim and distant past, and I cannot imagine that even Mother Theresa would have had any patience with me.

My best friend has teenage children and she says its like dealing with toddlers again, but this time they are bigger, smellier and have a larger vocabulary (really NOT looking forward to that, the 3yr old DD is hard enough now!).

WOuld I change anything? Yes, I'd be really rich, have full time cleaners and housekeepers and be a yummy mummy, not a slummy mummy.

Well, assuming I really did have hindsight at my disposal, I'd ignore all the unwanted advice, spend longer holding them, not bother with a cot (neither of mine liked it) and terminate the childminder's contract far sooner than we did (but that would be another post altogether).

They are only 5 and 2, so plenty of years yet to notch up regrets.

Polly, yes, I think teenager and early menopause combo lets you off all sorts of guilt. That's two lots of clashing hormones to deal with! No advice to offer, because mine aren't that big yet - sorry!

I have two DSDs (now 14 and 11) who I've been step mum to for ten years.. I don't think it's possible to avoid those teenager moments...

It's easier (being totally honest) as an NCP, as you do get to do the fun stuff and not always have to worry about homework etc.,

I'm making pledges and keeping a diary of DSDs behaviour now in a vain hope it will make life easier when my (1YO!) son turns into a teenage nightmare!!!

it'll all come good soon.

Mine are teenagers-I loved it but I wouldn't want to do it again. The only thing that I would do differently is get them to do a lot more for themselves at an early age and have them doing more household tasks.

I'd start earlier and have more children.