What are the age difference between..

[kaleighmariesmom]

each of your children ? we are trying to get pregnant and our dd with be 4 1/2 almost 5 when we have the baby. I am starting to freak out that it might be too big of an age difference between 2 kids... can anyone share their experiences?

 

[woodkins]

I was only able to have one child, but I will share my experiences as a sibling. I am the oldest of 4, my brother is 4yrs younger, next brother is 6 yrs younger and sister is 9.5yrs younger. Interestingly I am closest with my brother that is 6 yrs younger. We are all very different people and my other brother and sister are closer to each other. I wouldn't worry about the age difference being too much, you can see from me that I am actually closer with the sibling who has a larger age gap. Good luck!

 

[holden]

My girls are 4 1/2 yrs. apart and we love it that way! DD7 is old enough to help out with dd2 (she'll be 3 soon) and they play together too. They do fight sometimes, but most siblings do. DD2 looks up to DD7 and DD7 adores DD2.

My brother and I are 6yrs. apart. That was like having two only children. I didn't like babysitting him and he was annoying following me around with my friends. I think the fact that we are opposite sexes makes a difference too. We never really fought though, because we traveled in two seperate "worlds". We didn't have toys in common, etc. He was in my wedding when he was 16, and grew up to be a great friend. We are very close now!

I'm not sure if that helps, but don't let the age difference deter you from having another. You rarely hear about anyone regretting having another child, but you do hear about people regretting NOT having another.

 

[Happiest mommy]

We have a 4 1/2 yr old and an almost 6 month old they ADORE each other my older DD swears she is the lil Mamma I love seeing my girls together, I've had lots of bonding time with my older DD now i'll have bonding time with my lil one too (when DD is at school) worked out great

 

[dizneechic]

Mine are 20 months 5 days and 20 months 13 days (not that we've counted at all ). We discovered we get pg when we stop nursing at the 1 year mark... figured it was a fluke the 1st time (for #2) and realized when it happened again (for #3) that there was no WAY #4 would be coming! So I have 3 kids in 3.5 years. It's crazy most of the time, and we see much less arguing when they are in any combination of 2. With them this close we're moving through the phases gradually vs getting out of diapers and going back in, everything just seems to be one long extended phase of what ever you dealing with. I would love some more space between mine, although I'm not sure I wouldn't find problems there too. The one upside they all seem to be on very similar activity schedules because of the age ranges, so we're not needing to be in multiple places at once.

 

[The Hendies]

I am probably the WRONG person to ask! Notice the ages of our 'kids'! not entirely planned, but it has worked out. They had very close relationships growing up and still do. They really all went through stages so close together that we barely knew it was happening! College tuition on the other hand....

 

[PixiePlanner]

Mine are 49 months apart. Sometimes I wish they were closer in age like my brother and I. However, I looked at it this way, they will not be in highschool together, they will not be in college at the same time, I will be less likely to have two activities scheduled on the same night and I only had to pay for two in daycare for one year.

Now, DS was out of diapers, feeding & dressing himself and even buckling his own carseat. I did feel like I was starting all over again... and I was. BUT, I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Good luck.

 

[DISNEYFOS]

I'm not sure if that helps, but don't let the age difference deter you from having another. You rarely hear about anyone regretting having another child, but you do hear about people regretting NOT having another.

Sorry this just struck me as really funny ... I don't think you would ever have someone say they regretting having another child..."Oh I really wish we never had little johnny, what a bad decision"

Anyways...Our girls are 3 1/2 years apart...mostly because it took me a long while to feel like I was ready to take on the whole infant thing again

Its a really good age difference. My oldest is very protective and caring toward my youngest..and they do play together well. Few fights but its mostly the 2 year old not wanting to share..

Personalities can be so different in each child..its really hard to say whether the age will play a factor or not. but with that age difference you will most likely have a really great little helper on your hands. Best of luck.

 

[PebblesMom]

My boys are 2 years apart, so can't share anything from a mom's perspective, but my brother and I are 9 years apart. I loved having a little brother who I could "take care of." As adults we are very close and the age difference does not seem that big.

 

[luvmy2sams]

DD11 and DS6 are 4 1/2 years apart (4 years 6 months and 15 days to be specific), and we planned it that way. DD started pre-kindergarten 3 weeks after DS was born, so it was like having an only child for those mornings while she was at school. DD was old enough to understand that sometimes I had to do something for DS, and she was the best "helper" I could ask for...still is.

They are each other's biggest supporters, even though they do have the typical sibling riffs. We've been out of school since last Thursday because of an ice storm, and they've gotten very creative with ways to entertain each other. They like enough of the same things (music, art, board games, silly movies, video games) that they have great fun together without DD thinking that DS is too much of a baby.

Even though my sister informed me that I made a huge mistake by having them so far apart (along with the mistake of having a boy and a girl, as if I could have controlled that ), I wouldn't have it any other way.

Just think....you won't have two college tuitions at the same time (unless you have a brilliant doctor-in-the-making).

 

[mjkacmom]

TBH, my kids are MUCH closer to their similar aged siblings. Dd7, ds7, and dd8 are best buddies. On vacation, dd13 and ds11 hang out together. Dd13 has no more tolerance for dd8, dd7, and ds7 now that they're not preschoolers (she used to adore them). Ds11 (almost 12) used to at least tolerate ds7, but now they fight all of the time! He still likes dd6 and dd8, but doesn't "hang" with them. It's like I have 2 separate groups of kids a lot of the time. I have to say, my 3 youngest really do get along wonderfully!

Edited to add to those of you who have kids 5ish years apart, and the older one dotes on the toddler, that most likely will change with puberty. However, once everyone is an adult, those years will mean nothing.

 

[laughinplace199]

My first two children are almost exactly 2 years apart (their birthdays are 13 days apart).

My third child was born when DD was 7 and DS was 5. I knew DD would love having a baby to help care for, but I wasn't sure how DS was going to react. He loved being the baby of the family. We were pleasantly surprised to find that he loved helping to take care of the baby too. The kids are now 10, 8, and 3. The older two get along great and they are wonderful with their little brother. Sometimes, the 3 of them play together, which is really cute.

Good luck!

 

[PatsMom]

The baby was 21 four days after the new baby was born. They didn't have much of a relationship when the youngest was growing up but are pretty close now.

 

[McDuck]

I only have one child currently. But my brother was born 6 1/2 years after me and apart from the normal fusses sibling get into, we got along pretty great and are super friends now.

 

[nmmom95]

My DS's are almost 5 1/2 years apart. It was great because I got time alone with each of them. They get along really well, too. My older son is very patient and my younger son adores him!

 

[pigget74]

My kids are 15, 12, 4, and 2. My DH and I have been married for 16 years. THe 4 year old was a nice addition, one planned, but not at this time. WE had tried for one earlier and had a miscarriage and then nothing. WE decided our family was complete. THe month before our foundation was poured on our new house we found out we were expecting. WE dedcided to have one more if possible to give him someone to grow up with since our ages were greater. I would not change a thing. Now we do gt a lot of comments about starting over and some even ask if they are all ours (assuming that we were married before).

 

[donac]

My guys are 5 years apart. They are now almost 25 and 20. They are good friends and like to hang out together.

We also only had one kid in college at a time. Older son took 5 years but graduated the spring before younger son went into college.

 

[HunnyJar]

Well, my oldest is 14. There is a 13 year age gap between our son and daughter. We tried for 5 years to have a baby and just when we started giving up hope, we got pregnant. A beautiful little girl who will be turning one in a few weeks. And just a few weeks ago I found out I am pregnant again!! So, my daughter will have a 1.5 year gap between her and her new sibling. Crazy! But I will say my son is a wonderful older brother. He is very helpful and protective of his little sister. He's always wanting to hold her and help out in anyway that he can when it comes to her.

 

[Mickeypooh99]

My boys are 1 year and 2 weeks apart. They are 8 and 9 years old. We haven't decided that we are done yet. I wouldn't mind an age gap. My nephew is 4 with a 11 year old brother and almost 16 year old sister. It works out fine.

 

[tublady]

Mine are 6 1/2 years apart and my DD(8) adores here little brother(almost2). She is a big help and they hardly ever fight! We planned on only having one but then as my DH approached 40 he said he wanted another one and so DS was born. I am the youngest of 4 - I am 14, 12, and 8 years younger than my siblings - I did not have a relationship with the two oldest (they are boys), still don't but my sis and I are best friends now but not so much growing up - she was my babysitter! I'm not sure if I helped or not....