Favorite stage as a parent

[Turn the Page]

9/10. Becoming real people, can be left alone occasionally and just nice.

I’m finding 15 REALLY exhausting. These teen hormones are no joke.

DD16 is driving us mad. I'm not actually convinced we will all survive this.

I think each stage has it's own challenges and it's own joys and the ratio of challenges to joys in each stage is different for each kid.

DD16 was super easy up until the tween years and then it got a little harder and then the teen years hit and it has been hell on earth for us all.

Of course, it doesn't help that DS4 is in a totally different stage and is super rambunctious and strong willed. So we currently have it coming at us from both ends.

It's all downhill from here, right?

 

[PollyannaMom]

It's all downhill from here, right?

Not all. - There are always bright spots!

In my experience, it got harder to schedule them, harder to recognize them, but they're there if you grab ahold of them.

 

[holden]

DD16 is driving us mad. I'm not actually convinced we will all survive this.

I think each stage has it's own challenges and it's own joys and the ratio of challenges to joys in each stage is different for each kid.

DD16 was super easy up until the tween years and then it got a little harder and then the teen years hit and it has been hell on earth for us all.

Of course, it doesn't help that DS4 is in a totally different stage and is super rambunctious and strong willed. So we currently have it coming at us from both ends.

It's all downhill from here, right?

I can totally relate. I have a 15yo and a 19yo and the past several years have been horrible. We are still in it. No light at the end of the tunnel yet. 19yo took a gap year and is heading to college in the fall. I'm looking forward to that. She needs to go.

 

[DVC-Don]

When they moved out.

 

[Disneylover99]

My kids are teens now. So far, I haven’t enjoyed any stage. I was too busy worrying about them to enjoy anything.

 

[mjkacmom]

We were actually at WDW when I froze my kids, they were 4, 4 (both almost 5), 6, 9 and 11. Perfect. It didn’t work. Right now they’re all pretty perfect except one 19 year old who has had some struggles this year, he’s the youngest. Fortunately the others are amazing siblings too and are very helpful. I was not a fan of the infants stage, would’ve gladly left them in the hospital nursery for a few months.

 

[slo]

This was a tough one for me - I honestly can’t pick a favorite, because I have to many favorite moments in each stage listed.

DD23 was wonderful from birth - 11

DD18 was also wonderful from birth -11, but she’s been super wonderful 12 - current.
She‘s the kid that will take care of me when I’m old - LOL!

 

[SarahM1987]

Our daughters are 10 and 12, and raising them has been a huge accomplishment with so many amazing memories over the years. I'm kind of wondering about their teen years, but hopefully they'll continue to make us both proud and not give me too many gray hairs along the way!

 

[luvnwdwgal]

Adulthood. Our son will be 40 this year. He’s been married almost 15 years and we have 3 beautiful granddaughters. I got married at 19 and pregnant just 4 months later. I was not ready at all. I hated being pregnant. I didn’t have a clue how to take care of a baby and very little help as my husband was working full time and then working on our 150+ year old house. I was a housewife for several years because I wouldn’t have made enough money to pay for childcare. So I ended up babysitting several other kids which really wasn’t what I wanted to do either. Thankfully our son was always good in school and never got into trouble. He also had a great group of friends. I was a nervous wreck when he started driving though. It’s kind of like we both grew up together. He’s a wonderful husband and father and hard working. I guess I didn’t do too bad.

 

[SteveH]

That's tough. So many great stages building on one another. But right now watching my oldst mid-20s son and his wife get a house and go through all of that is pretty amazing. Getting my youngest out of college will be the greatest when/if that finally happens lol

 

[Ms.Minnie]

My kids are teens now. So far, I haven’t enjoyed any stage. I was too busy worrying about them to enjoy anything.

Hopefully the "joy" will come soon.

I voted "other/can't decide". I loved every stage although if I'm being honest, I would have to say that infancy was the hardest for me. You went from just being responsible for yourself to have a helpless little life depending on you for everything 24/7. That was quite an adjustment for me. Also going from one child to two children was another big adjustment. I always felt that moms should be octopuses, we need more than two arms. LOL

Truly I have been blessed with two beautiful children who have both grown into fine, responsible adults. I have also been blessed with four beautiful grandchildren. At this point I would have to say that being a grandmom / grandchildren is my favorite stage. Thanks kids, you did a great job! Keep up the good work.

 

[nw6675]

My DD is 10 and she makes me laugh with her insightfulness and quips and her tender, kind heart. She is very open with how she feels about things and what goes on in her life.

I hope the teen years don't change that!

 

[MrsCobraBubbles]

I don't like babies. I loved my own children in their infant stage, and I don't wish babies harm (I feel like this has to be stated because this is the internet), but they make me so anxious I don't like being around them! Again, NOT my own babies, I relished every moment I spent with my kids from the day they were born, but I'm not one of those people that oohs and ahhs over babies and if someone tries to bring their baby near me I look around for something to pick up because I don't want to end up holding the baby! People are always trying to make me hold their babies!

My favorite stage is the age of 4-ish, preschool stage. I taught preschool for a little while, I was also a children's librarian and most of my programming was targeted toward that preschool age because that is the stage that is the most fun in my opinion. All I had to do was put a funny hat on or talk in a funny voice or sing a silly song and I was a comedic genius! At 4 kids are full of questions and want to learn, they are mostly over those tantrums that 2-3 year olds throw over dumb crap, they can focus on a task and be independent for a short period of time.

 

[Disneylover99]

Hopefully the "joy" will come soon.

haha! Me too!
They’re actually really great kids. I‘m just not good at enjoying them in the moment. Lol.

 

[Kitty 34]

I love my sons now, of course, (42, 35 and 33) but I had a lot of fun with them on vacations and sports from 8 thru18. I wasn't a fan of the baby/toddler ages and college/just after HS for awhile was a bit taxing.

 

[goofyernmost]

My favorite stage was conception. The rest was alright too. Didn't really think about it much, just went day to day. They are all grown with kids of their own now and they still talk to me, so I couldn't have been terribly awful.

 

[nene0182]

I’ve always said my favorite age is from about 2-6. The years from about 15-18 almost made me crazy. Now he’s 19 and just starting to become likable again. I love that child but there were days…

 

[sk!mom]

The overall easiest was probably preschool…delightful, adorable and no drama yet or maybe now…adults who are cool to hang out with.

Infancy was awesome, cuddly, idyllic with one but exhausted, stressful and hard with the other. Elementary years were pretty good with both. Middle school was awful with both. High school was easy and awesome with the difficult baby but difficult with the easy baby. It all just depends.

 

[MrsCobraBubbles]

My favorite stage was conception.

I don't think that was an option on the survey, but I want to change my vote now

 

[2letterwords]

My kids are still young (7 and 9). I loved their time as toddlers, but my absolute favorite was like 8-10 months. They were just really chill babies and their personalities really started to take hold then.