What age do you find to be the most difficult

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As a parent, what age do you find to be the most difficult?

0-12 mos

24%

[ 23 ]

1-2 yrs

28%

[ 27 ]

3-5

13%

[ 13 ]

6-8

[ 1 ]

9-12

[ 6 ]

13-16

14%

[ 14 ]

17-20

[ 3 ]

20+

[ 7 ]

Total Votes : 94

amother

Tue, Aug 17 2021, 1:30 pm

I’m just curious which age range you ladies find to be the most challenging. The definition of difficult will vary, so you can interpret it the way you feel.

For some, difficult can be time consuming, for others can be lack of sleep, for others can be defiant, or power struggles, or constantly running after…

So in general, which age do you find to be the hardest for you?

Feel free to also add in the comments the age you find the easiest.

amother

Tiffanyblue

Tue, Aug 17 2021, 1:32 pm

I think it’s so individual. Each of my kids had a different stage in which they were the most difficult. I also found that even if a stage was hard it usually had a unique positive that countered it. I can’t really vote.

hodeez

Tue, Aug 17 2021, 1:40 pm

I'm only up to age 6 now, but from what I can tell 6 is the hardest yet. It's uncharted territory for me and my goodness she has such a personality now! I really see my mannerisms in her and I don't like it

amother

Tue, Aug 17 2021, 1:45 pm

Some people have a hard times with the baby stage. Others have it difficult with teens. Others with toddlers.

Maybe I should make a poll about the most enjoyable age.

I heard it’s 4-6 mos! That’s a darn small gap Confused

4g01o

Tue, Aug 17 2021, 1:48 pm

I'm only up to age 13 (almost 14)

He can be pretty draining!

But, I still find the newborn stage the hardest.

bigsis144

Tue, Aug 17 2021, 1:57 pm

Newborns were awesome!!! I had sleep deprivation, sure, and had days where nursing was so uncomfortable that I bled, but I never felt incompetent taking care of my infants. I knew what I was doing from being a big sister, and I didn’t take it personally if they were “difficult”.

With older kids (or at least my kids), they only get harder as they get stronger and stronger willed, and I can’t just plunk them in their crib to take a break when they are overwhelming. It’s so much harder when a kid says they hate you or they turn everything into an argument or negotiation. And they can get into much worse danger the more independence they crave/get.

My life is already Constant Vigilance, and I can’t even imagine how much harder things are gonna get when teenage hormones come online. Oh my god, I’m dreading it.

Last edited by bigsis144 on Tue, Aug 17 2021, 2:03 pm; edited 1 time in total

mha3484

Tue, Aug 17 2021, 2:02 pm

I think the pre teen years are super hard because their life changes so much between ages of 9-12 but they are still very immature so they struggle with processing the changes. As a kid I remember middle school being terrible and high school was a lot better. I think by high school I was way more mature and also it was big enough to find my crowd.

thunderstorm

Tue, Aug 17 2021, 2:06 pm

2-4 and then 11-17 .

octopus

Tue, Aug 17 2021, 2:22 pm

thunderstorm wrote:

2-4 and then 11-17 .

Haha! That about covers it!!!

amother

Tue, Aug 17 2021, 2:36 pm

A friend recently told me “teething ends when terrible twos start, and terrible twos end when teenage years start.”

This basically sums up parenting

amother

Floralwhite

Tue, Aug 17 2021, 2:40 pm

We're only up to 12 so far but the worst yet for any of my kids was 2-4.

essie14

Tue, Aug 17 2021, 2:46 pm

Very individual with different children.
I cant really vote.
Each child has his /her own difficulties which manifest at different ages.

That being said, the teenage years when they think they know everything is quite difficult!

Window

Tue, Aug 17 2021, 2:47 pm

I think the hardest stage is having only little kids. Once your kids are older, they’re helpful and they can entertain each other.
When you’re in the new-mom stage and have a few kids under 5, that’s the challenging part.
But I guess this is slightly off topic

chatz

Tue, Aug 17 2021, 3:49 pm

Very very individual. Didn't vote. My most two draining are completely different ages.

Motherhood

Tue, Aug 17 2021, 3:55 pm

I voted 3-5 because this thread is under “parenting our children”, so that age is the hardest to parent.
However, I thing newborn stage is hardest

amother

Linen

Tue, Aug 17 2021, 7:24 pm

0-2 & 17+ are equally difficult in very opposite ways. Everything in between is easier. 3-5 is similar to 13-16, in different ways. 6-12 are easiest.

amother

Tangerine

Tue, Aug 17 2021, 7:41 pm

amother [ Linen ] wrote:

0-2 & 17+ are equally difficult in very opposite ways. Everything in between is easier. 3-5 is similar to 13-16, in different ways. 6-12 are easiest.

If 6-12 are the easiest boy am I in for it…my DD is a 16 year old in an 8 year old body

#BestBubby

Tue, Aug 17 2021, 8:41 pm

Although I had great relationship with my grown children,
there was nothing scarier then going through shidduchim -
especially with my daughter.

For physically harder, the toddler stage where they can climb
and open drawers and cabinets, and always in danger of
getting hurt or making huge mess.

Easiest age is 7 - 13, when kids are more independent
but not going through the social drama and pressures
of teen-hood.

tp3

Tue, Aug 17 2021, 9:11 pm

First year when babies don't sleep much and need constant feeding, changing, monitoring, is the hardest for me. I'm so tied down.
Love the toddler stage when they are so cute and innocent and learning independence.
I very much enjoy teenagers, they are such strong personalities with such idealistic ideas. They are fun to talk to and spend time with.

mha3484

Tue, Aug 17 2021, 10:22 pm

#BestBubby wrote:

My oldest is turning 11 and we are not free of social drama or pressure. It’s not easy to navigate at all.

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