Are teenagers harder work than babies and toddlers?

[Schulte]

Just so I know whether to start saving up for boarding school fees, really...

They are different. They have different needs. So they can make thier own dinner and wash up etc, however you are needed more emotionally.

I much prefer dd being a teenager - it is brilliant having a teenager around. She is very funny and sweet, she was very lovely as a small child as well but there is less drudgery involved when they are teens.

My friend has a 2 yr old, a 4 yr old and two 13 yr olds. The teens are DEFINITELY much harder work than the babies.

Yes and no! They are more expensive, that's for sure. My girl's are 14 and 13 so haven't got into 'boys' yet which may change things. My 6 and 4 year olds fight like cat & dog and drive me up the wall. Case of swings and roundabouts really.

i think there is less help/advice out there for parents of teenagers.
I think one needs tip top communication skills for dealing with teenagers, but a lot of the things seem similar, ie firm boundaries, patience, consistancy.

I haven't found it so.
Ds1 is 17 now, dd is 5 and Ds2 is 17 months!

Maybe its down to personality too, Ds1 has always been an easy going lad, we have a very close relationship, can talk about most things etc.
The thing I have found the hardest is the letting him go, when they are little you keep them with you and know they are safe.

I personally find lack of sleep, tantrums, school runs, ball pits and the daily slog of small children 10 times harder than a teenager!

It depends on the child!

I have two lovely easy teens who apart from a few moans about untidy bedrooms and too much time on facebook/xbox don't cause me much worry at all. Their older sister though was a complete nightmare and I would regularly be strung out looking at the ceiling at 2am either wondering where she was or mulling over the last row. Perhaps its just as well I had her though or I would be a bit smug about my parenting ability. Can I decide that it was her fault she was so badly behaved and then take the credit for the other two?

Phew, sounds like it IS getting better then

God, I hope not!

Physically much, much easier; not much in the way of fraught mornings or evenings. But emotionally and financially; well it can be hard frankly and mine are, on the whole, really good kids.

It's worth it though.

Oooh dear do I sense here that girls are more difficult? Because I have to dds...

Two, even...

In different ways, I find them far more interesting though

I think it depends on the baby/toddler/teen.
Some are easier or more difficult than others.

Yes, IME (and I have both ATM). You have to be far more credible and creative with teens.

A determined teen can exploit the tiniest weakness, inconsistency or ambiguity in your parenting. Toddlers might be tiring but at least they can be manhandled out of the room when you've had enough!

Two DS's, 16 and 14 here. DS1 is Definitely better as a teen - he is an active, always on the go type of lad who has always wanted to do everything at 100 miles an hour from being about a year old - much easier to deal with now he is quite independant. DS2 however was probably easier when younger - emotionally now he is very high maintenance, needs constant reassurance about things and is extremely 'tuned in' to the atmosphere around him.

Having said that, I wouldn't have them any other way, they are great kids, good company and brilliant fun most of the time. The one thing I am not sorry to see the back of though, is primary school, am glad we don't have any more to repeat that experience with!

Noooooo!

(I only have a 3yr old and 1 yr old but I refuse to believe it could be possible).

Two boys here and definately so much easier.
They were very hard work as babies and toddlers and it has been getting easier ever since.
They don't need "looking after" except in an emotional sense. They get themselves up, showered, fed and off to school. They help around the house and they are great company.

There are different challenges though with adolesence. The realisation that they would rather believe their friends, their teacher or next door's cat before me because I know nothing.
They want to have new freedoms and I have to let them.
DS1 is in love. With a girl. I am standing by to help mend his heart when she breaks it.

yep - I have a teen and a two year old and the teen is a LOT harder to deal with. I think its partly due to the fact I expect more from him as he is able to understand. thus, the sulks, the loosing stuff, forgetting until 7am that morning that he has to take in a load of ingredients into school are a lot harder to take. PLUS, he is up later so it is harder to have intimate time with DH. Don't get me wrong, DS is fab in lots of ways and can do a lot more for himself, but he also will be a lot better at lying or trying to hide things from me. Also - it is true what inthesticks says about the fact they think you know nothing and he can be very dismissive of my opinions etc. I take solace in the fact that he is, as teens go, easier than most, I think, and is popular amongst our friends in the sense he is always polite to them etc. Plus he causes us no real trouble and is a good teenager in many ways - these are just a few nitpicks, really. Still, i find it harder with him than with my 2yr old.

And don't even get me onto the whole worrying about sex thing.......!!!

is there a rest phase at any point between the toddler and teenage years? Are these 2 bits the worst? Dd is 2 and dc2 imminent

I enjoy my teens so much more (girls aged 14 and 16). I feel devastated already that they will be leaving home in a few years and I don't know what I'm going to do with my time

They were gorgeous when they were little but if I'm completely honest, I was bored. Now we have amazing conversations and I'm so proud of them.

mine were delightful, easy and lovely as toddlers. even as 5 - 7 yr olds.

the bit in the middle was sometimes challenging.

now they are nearly 12 and nearly 14 and i am finding it much much much harder work.

apart from being able to leave them alone and go out without them for an hour or so I find they need more everything. sorry.

Liz79 Yes the period from around 6 to 11 was what I've heard described as the "golden years".
Although I've said that teens are easier than toddlers they are in the process of severing the apron strings and want to do things with their friends.Mum is not needed so much. I miss that.
Given the choice I'd keep mine at 7 and 9 forever.