Your opinion: ideal age gap?

[Anonymous]

If you could pick, what’s your exact ideal age gap between siblings?

Just for fun/wondering how other parents feel. Obviously we can only control this so much!

[Anonymous]

Between 2.5 and 3 years.

[Anonymous]

My first two are 2.5 years apart, and I think it’s really good for them in terms of their ability to relate, play together, be close, and understand each other. However, it was very overwhelming to me - I found having them that close together very stressful and unenjoyable in a number of ways.

I am now pregnant with my third (older two will be 8 and 5 when baby comes), and I’m excited to be able to have two more independent children when the baby comes. I don’t know what their relationships will look like, though. In my experience, it’s a mixed bag - older kids either adore or can’t stand the baby - haven’t heard too much about there being a middle of a road response.

[Anonymous]

2 years or slightly less.

I have four kids.
Age gap between the first two: 21 months
Age gap between #2 and #3: 2.5 years
Age gap between #3 and #4: 23 months

I felt like 2.5 years was too much

[Anonymous]

One child.

[Anonymous]

5 years. Enjoy (or survive) babyhood with one, and have the older one capable of self entertaining, full time school, and having playdates before introducing the crazy of a second.

Research shows minimum 2 years between siblings is best for academic success.

[Anonymous]

Mine are 21 months apart and it’s very hard for me. But it was a much easier transition for DC1 than friends who have larger age gaps. It’s like she’s too young to be too jealous. She LOVES her younger sibling. Not sure if it’s wholly attributable to the age gap but I think it helped.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:5 years. Enjoy (or survive) babyhood with one, and have the older one capable of self entertaining, full time school, and having playdates before introducing the crazy of a second.

Research shows minimum 2 years between siblings is best for academic success.

Interesting. Do they have any ideas why that might be. I wouldn’t use this factoid to decide child spacing, but I would be interested to learn more

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:5 years. Enjoy (or survive) babyhood with one, and have the older one capable of self entertaining, full time school, and having playdates before introducing the crazy of a second.

Research shows minimum 2 years between siblings is best for academic success.

Interesting. Do they have any ideas why that might be. I wouldn’t use this factoid to decide child spacing, but I would be interested to learn more

Not the PP but if I had to guess, maybe related to the parents having less time to work on academics with closely spaced kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mine are 21 months apart and it’s very hard for me. But it was a much easier transition for DC1 than friends who have larger age gaps. It’s like she’s too young to be too jealous. She LOVES her younger sibling. Not sure if it’s wholly attributable to the age gap but I think it helped.

Yes, it seems like close age gaps may be easier for the kids but harder for parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:5 years. Enjoy (or survive) babyhood with one, and have the older one capable of self entertaining, full time school, and having playdates before introducing the crazy of a second.

Research shows minimum 2 years between siblings is best for academic success.

Agree with this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:2 years or slightly less.

I have four kids.
Age gap between the first two: 21 months
Age gap between #2 and #3: 2.5 years
Age gap between #3 and #4: 23 months

I felt like 2.5 years was too much

+1

We have three, with 23 months in between 1 and 2 and 2.5 years between 2 and 3. I prefer the shorter spacing, but needed to wait for the third for FMLA. It still works, but 2.5 years is on the upper end of what I'd want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:5 years. Enjoy (or survive) babyhood with one, and have the older one capable of self entertaining, full time school, and having playdates before introducing the crazy of a second.

Research shows minimum 2 years between siblings is best for academic success.

We are 6 months into a 4.5 year gap. It’s longer than I would have liked (secondary IF) but I’m enjoying it for the reasons you say. Luckily we have a lot of childcare so each kid has their own routine and older one only has to hang out with the baby when he feels like it (which is pretty often)

[Anonymous]

Mine are 18mths apart and I love it. Sure it's extremely hard when they're little but now they're almost teens and they're the best of friends, they have similar interests, similar friend groups, easily relate to one another and can be given the same responsibilities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My first two are 2.5 years apart, and I think it’s really good for them in terms of their ability to relate, play together, be close, and understand each other. However, it was very overwhelming to me - I found having them that close together very stressful and unenjoyable in a number of ways.

I am now pregnant with my third (older two will be 8 and 5 when baby comes), and I’m excited to be able to have two more independent children when the baby comes. I don’t know what their relationships will look like, though. In my experience, it’s a mixed bag - older kids either adore or can’t stand the baby - haven’t heard too much about there being a middle of a road response.

My siblings were seven and five when I was born. I always felt like the odd person out. Even as adults, they’re kind of a team and they’re not very nice to me.