OT: Age difference between your children

[DisneyMomx7]

6 years between 1 and 2, 15 months between 2 and 3, 18 months between 3 and 4, 12 years between 4 and 5, 15 months between 5 and 6 and 18 months between 6 and 7.

Explanation - I was working about #1 and I wasn't able to quit and stay home so I didn't want to do 2 kids in day care etc. Financial circumstances improved and I decided to stay home so had 2 3 and 4 close together. I thought I was done. I had undergone chemo so I was told that I would go into early menopause and no more babies, Okay. Well I was only off the chemo for six months and surprise! We didn't want #5 to be like an only child so here we go again 5, 6 and 7 rapidly.

It was quite a shock to start all over again but now I couldn't imagine my life without the little ones. The older ones adore the younger ones and can't wait to come home and visit them. Oldest one is married with two children of her own, one is in law school and comes home to visit, one is still in college (lives away but comes home for summer) and one son just graduated and still lives with us.

 

[pweyl36]

First child DS (18) is 10yrs older than DD (9) and DD is 4yrs older than DS(5).

 

[laughinplace199]

We have a DD (7) who is 2 yrs older than DS (5). They are great friends! When DS(5) was born I often felt like I had 2 babies, but I also was very happy that DD could do some things for herself. For me, 2 yrs apart was perfect. Then DS (3 months) came along. He is 5 years younger than his brother and 7 years younger than his sister. The "big" kids love the baby and are really a great help. Both big kids are in school now, so I get to spend lots of time w/baby!

 

[Tooblessed]

My kids are 5 days shy of being 2 years apart. I actually had the same due date with both.
I love them being close in age, they are the best of friends. It helps that a lot of DS's friends have sisters the same age as DD so it has been great for playdates and she already has several friends for school next year.
We also got away with having one party for both until this year. I would decorate the living room for dd and the patio for ds so in their scrapbooks it looks like they each had their own party.
Now we are planning them 2 weeks apart so it is easier on our family to come to the parties.

 

[Tinkerbell2002]

My boys are 4 and half years apart. Older DS is so helpful with the baby and really loves playing with him. THe baby is entertained by his big brother constantly. For me that was good spacing, since I don't know that I could have handled two toddlers or a toddler and a baby at one time. I only worry that they will not have a lot in common as they get older and will not be close.

 

[Kellyscrapbooks]

For those who don't mind sharing, what are the age differences between your children? Any pros or cons you'd like to share from your own experience? Things you've enjoyed or haven't enjoyed about those particular age differences? Thank you!

Mine are 3½ years apart. It worked out really well for us. My daughter was just over 3½ when my son was born and they are good buddies most of the time. The only hard part is she is at the age where she is getting a little "older" and he is feeling a bit left behind. She does still play with him a lot and they do tons together, but I think for a year or two he might be a little lost.

 

[Kimkimba]

My first two are almost exactly 9 years apart. I had my first child young with my ex. Then I got remarried and we got pregnant right away.

5 1/2 years until I had my next. And 4 years later my next one will be born (she's due in April).

So there's 18 1/2 years between my oldest and soon-to-be youngest.

They keep me young, and I wouldn't change a thing. I feel like I can give them each more attention by them being spaced.

 

[rhonhod]

My kids are 1 yr and 2 weeks apart. DD was born 4/14/93 and DS was born on 4/28/94.


My family is DB 34, me 33(soon), DB 24, DSis 23, and DSis 11(will be 12 next month) Yeah I was 21 when my baby sister was born. My own daughter was turning 2 and my son was turning 1. They are in middle school now. Its soooo funny, DD is in the 8th grade, DS is in the 7th grade and DSis is in the 6th grade. When Dsis was in the office taking her meds on day my DD was in turning in a paper for her teacher and Dsis said "hey there is my niece, she's in 8th grade"

 

[gabbysmom04]

mine are 15 months apart. For me is has been very hard! My DS 1 was born with a number of serious medical problems so having two babies was really hard for me. We plan on having one more but am not sure when will be best. To be honest I am thinking we won't try until summer of 08 so we can go on the May repo cruise! But sometimes I think it would be better do just have the next one now so they can all grow up close.

 

[almburr]

DD 1994, DD 1998, DS 2000, DD 2001, DS 2004 I like the age differences.

My sister and I are 9 years apart, and hated it. No one in between.

 

[MrsBanks]

my only sibling and I are 12 years apart and not close - so I decided to have my children close, they are 19 mos. apart - at times they are great friends/playmates and at other times they fight like &

 

[Hillbeans]

My two boys are 6 years old and 16 months old, so they're about 4 years 8 months apart in age.

I hadn't planned on that much of a gap between the two, but a higher power had other things in mind for us

For our family, it works out very well - my son who just turned 6 plays so well with his baby brother, and the little guy plays up to him. They are very close and I hope they always will be.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

Mine are 18 months apart. It was very hard at the beginning the young one was colic and the old one was "still a baby", I really don't remember a couple of her milestones because I was with colicky DS.

Other than that, its getting much easier now, they fight, they love eachother. DS is a typical boy and DD is a typical girls. Wierd how that happens huh? They are 2 years apart in school, which I do like. I thought they were going to be 1 year apart but with the cut off dates and all, its 2 years. This way it won't be Groundhog Day for mom, doing the same exact thing every year with the younger one

 

[crisi]

12 months 2 weeks - our second was a "surprise."

Pros: They do play together (but pick on each other like siblings do). We can go see the same movies. They play the same games and can share toys (I have one boy and one girl - two of the same gender would be helpful with some of this as well). We go to Disney and we aren't splitting the family to spend the day in Fantasyland with one while the other rides Mountains. Developmentally they are pretty on pace - we finish something with one and start it with the other. Our childrearining years are compact - our diaper stage overlapped with an end in sight and we should only have four or five years of "teenagers driving."

Cons: The first three years were a living nightmare. It was like twins, except one was breastfeeding while the other was using the dining room chairs to climb on top of the fridge. Diapers everywhere. No privacy at all. And no sleep. For three years straight. I'm expecting a repeat when they get to be teenagers.

 

[powellrj]

mine are 23, 15 and 10. The bad thing about it is that we waited 5 years to have our first so that meant our youngest was born when we had been married 18 years. Most of the people who got married when we did are now grandparents and we still have kids in grade school!! We will have been married 29 years soon and will have to get a sitter to get away!! Our oldest is in the army so he isn't around to babysit!!

It was great when they were younger because I was able to spend lots of time with them when they were young because I always waited until they started school before we had the next one. On the downside, by the time you get to the youngest, you have done santa, toothfairy and the easterbunny for almost 25 years and you are tired!! I tell people I know most of the field trips better than the teachers because I have been going on them for longer than they have been teaching!!!

 

[TheRatPack]

My first 2 are 15 months apart, one boy and one girl. It was difficult when they were small, as they slept with us a lot so we didn't have a lot of private time for the first few years. One thing that I hadn't thought of was I wasn't able to nurse #1 as long as I'd wanted due to finding out I was prego with #2. #2 and #3 are 11 months apart, but #3 is adopted so really was no timing involved in that at all LOL Still I enjoy them being this close in age, it makes it easier to be an active family and everyone is usually on the same page in life and activities.

 

[mrsmom]

My first dd is 20 and my second ds is 14 , 6yrs apart then the second and third are 22 months apart(14, and 12)) then the third and fourth are 12 and 9 are 4 yrs apart , The closest to each other are the 20 and 9 yr old.. It was easier with them 4 yrs apart.
Kim

 

[Wickedmom75]

DD12 & DD11 are 1 year and 17 days apart, so when DS 8( will be 9 in april) was born they were 3 1/2 and 2 1/2 ,and he was 2 1/2 when DS6 was born so for about 6 years I did nothing but change diapers and wash clothes lol They are all in school now and get along for the most part. The 2 girls are either going through or starting puberty so it gets a little rough. The boys play well together (get into trouble well together too ) We have our moments of insanity when some sports regulations set the cut off date weird and we end up with 4 different coaches but that only happens about every other year, I wouldn't change anything except have another , but that will not be happening

 

[dismom301930]

My oldest DD6 (5/30/00) is about 17 months older than DD5 (10/19/01). My third DD was born on 5/30/04, my oldest DD's fourth birthday! I love the spacing between my girls, although I would not choose for two of them to have the same birthday. My girls are very close, and I hope they always will be. (Although I am sure we will have some rough teenage years!) I also like that there are two years between each of them in school.

 

[rt2dz]

My first two are two weeks shy three years apart. I thought that was perfect; it is what I had. I didn't have two in diapers, The older one was in preschool and could completely dress himself, he had his own identity and friends. We were past babyhood with him. My oldest is a wonderful teacher and very patient; loves being a big brother. Never had both in preschool at the same time.

There were some cons though, which become more and more apparant the older they get. They aren't into the sme things at the same times. It was much harder to go back to a diaper bag the second time around. The younger of the two is always feeling left out. The skill difference is pretty dramatic, and other developemental issues. Don't even make me go into the sports issues. UGH! Or sharing a room.

Opps--my second and my third are just a little over a year apart. I wanted the third, but no where near that soon. Only insane people do that. Wrong! What a blessing it has turned out to be. Having two in diapers isn't more work but for an extra couple of minutes; I'm actually compacting my total diaper changing days by overlapping them. It was much easier to just go to a bigger diaper bag than to go from no diaper bag back to a diaper bag. They take baths together. They play together. They are into the same things. Food restrictions (choking) and what toys need to be kept away are basically the same for each. My third is more "into" potty training because they do everything else together. My second never even noticed the adding of a family member (read: no jealousy issues), DS#3 has just always been there.

Cons: It was a long time before I slept through the night. It's a big preschool bill for awhile. Yikes! They'll both be in college at the same time since they're only a year apart in school.

We're trying for #4. I was actually aiming for 1 1/2 years. Not doing so hot there. We're at a little over two years now if I get pregnant this month. If I don't get pg with #4 by the time DS#3 is 2, then we're done. For the most part though, we've had our kids when the powers that be thought it was best.