What do you miss most about having small children ?

[funkmonke]

And if you could go back, what would you do differently?

I miss the cuddles and early ish nights.....my sons are teenagers and a bit distant. We do still talk but I can't make them better by having a cuddle anymore x

Their smell, their simple approach to everything, their joy, their little hands, god, just about everything! There's not much I'd do differently - I did my best and I pretty much loved every minute - but I'd want to slow it all down! More years, just more of it.

I miss my sons how they were when they were small, just having a sit on my lap and cuddle, even same bedtime books they wanted over and over again, tedious at the time but I do miss that now, I wish I had more patience at the time, small children are challenging though, they are now 16 and 21, my daughter is a teen but still cuddly

Going to bed at 7pm instead of 10.30, though the lie ins at weekends are nice now.

I still get cuddles but miss that they used to get into bed with every morning for a proper snuggle. I miss the days out we used to have farm days.

I miss the total trust they had in me that I could fix everything most.

Cuddles! I rarely get a hug now.

Cuddles, and scampering round joyfully whenever we went for a walk. I probably need to get a dog!

Yep hugs!
And cute or funny things they said.

DS (14) still gives lots of hugs but DD (17) gives reluctant ones on eg Mothers Day and it's usually a crisis if I'm allowed /she needs a hug which of course takes the enjoyment out of it!

The cuteness! They were so frickin cute and snuggly. They are still pretty young though, 8 & 9. It’s just there’s a lot of chat about farts now. And calling each other “bro” all the time 😐

I wouldn’t do anything differently. I did my best.

For those missing cuddles, when did your DC stop? Mine are 12 and 14 and still very cuddly and really don’t want it to stop!

I do also have DD who is 22. The baby and toddler days with her are sepia-toned now. Some of the best days of my life even tho I was a LP.

Having a child free evening!

They still do plenty of cuddles and chats... 13 and 15.

That I was 15 years younger 😆. Good times.

I miss bathing them, I always loved that time of day. And just the small things, holding hands and pottering around a park, playing in the sandpit…..

Mine are 14 and 15 and still quite cuddly, difference is I fit under their chins now rather than other way round!! They’re awesome and I love spending time with them so it’s still just as lovely

DD stopped hugs probably age 11 or 12.
DS still hugs me every day (he's 14)

Even my grand children aren't small now. I just miss how often they used to come and stay really. I miss them.

Mine is still very cuddly and still insists that I go and lie with him for a chat and a hug at bedtime on college nights. I miss the days out to fun places, though, and the excitement of little things like going to see the fish at pets-at-home or jumping in puddles. I miss reading to him, baking cupcakes together, and making huge Brio tracks all over the house. He made a huge Brio track for his toddler cousin at MIL's house in the summer and it was so lovely to see.

I miss the wonder and excitement over really tiny things. We used to do pet rescue and go out with a take away box looking for things to save. We saved a bee with sugar water once that was a real highlight.

I miss doing crafts as well, made a big papier mache zoo.

I miss when mine would love going on holiday and could happily splash in sea or pool or day and then sleep like a top. That joy stopped in the teenage years. Though she now loves travelling independently. I wish I had focussed more on family meal times - all sitting round the table. We never did this enough.

I still get cuddles, but I miss them being smaller than me. Sometimes I just want to be able to pick them up and carry them ( I still do metorphorically just not physically). It is true that you never know that it is going to be the last time you do something.

Oh fits of the giggles , earwigging their conversations when they are sitting at the table on their own (some corkers there ).Oh what else , their highly original excuses for doing/not doing something , no one has ever used that excuse before ever .
The unbelievable thirst at bed time/need the toilet or forgotten homework .
Singing Tommy Thumb while they are sitting on the toilet waiting for the wee .
Don't forget putting them back to bed for hundredth time 🤦🏻‍♀️

I’ve just realised this is in the teenagers board and I do not have teenagers 🤦‍♀️

Not sure I miss anything... certainly not the constant demands for drinks and snacks and the bath/bed routine!

OK, maybe the sweet teeny little voices. DS is 12 and voice hasn't broken yet and is still very cute sounding so I think I will miss that when it's gone.

And I suppose doing stuff as a whole family. 15yo is social butterfly and always seems to have their weekends full up so we don't do as much all together these days.

Their giggles and the way you can make them laugh by doing silly things like play-fighting and chasing them. I mean the proper belly laughs when they're totally living in the moment smiling and laughing their heads off. It's adorable.

The day trips....... We went all over the place; the beach, the woods, the park, the lake. They used to just play and run around and laugh. Nothing fancy. Id just pack us a picnic and off we'd go......