What was the hardest phase?

[Anonymous]

Popping over from "teens and tweens" to those who have made it through...

What's the worst age/phase? I have 2 very different children, so I know it varies greatly, but wondering what lies ahead. I hear my friends with teens who seem to not enjoy them at all. I am a high school teacher and generally love that age, but obviously parenting them is different. What was your parent experience like in MS, HS, and college?

[Anonymous]

Hard to say, it depends on each child.

[Anonymous]

Post college is kicking our butt right now. It never ends.

[Anonymous]

Young adult 18+ phase turned out to be a nightmare.

[Anonymous]

16 -20

[Anonymous]

15-19 was worst but i blame college admissions which stresses out kids and parents. Having an uber competitive suburban high school was a huge stressor. We should've picked a school with relaxed environment and stayed in an urban area where they were more independent with public transport and walking options.

[Anonymous]

You're a HS teacher. You are uniquely prepared for the teenage years. Stress not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Post college is kicking our butt right now. It never ends.

THIS

[Anonymous]

HS and young adult. For one kid it been difficult due to mental health issues. For the others it’s just getting them settled in their adult life and worrying about stupid stuff kids do.

[Anonymous]

I thought the 8th grade/9th grade was the hardest for me and my boys, but now they are in college and there are a host of other issues related to them growing up. But it's still a lot better than late middle school.

[Anonymous]

It truly never ends,just different problems as they get older usually bigger problems.

[Anonymous]

This depends so much on the parents and the child

I am a preschool teacher and found the infant-preschool years the best and easiest and the high school years the hardest.
One of my kids was most challenging in 8th-11th grade, the other one in 11thgrade to Freshman college year, so even that generation was different for each kid.
As someone who works with high schoolers every day, you may feel totally differently.

I do agree with PP about the stress of the college process adding to the overall stress of those years.

[Anonymous]

That should say *generalization*

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Post college is kicking our butt right now. It never ends.

THIS

In what way? Do they live with you? Did they go away to college?

[Anonymous]

happiness and difficult times at all phases... as they get older, issues are less frequent, but the magnitude of issues are much more significant. Kids are in early 30s to mid 20s.