Do you like grade schoolers/teens more now since you have one?

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure quite how to put this. I am a mom of toddlers. I LOVE toddlers and pre-schoolers. I was at a party this weekend where there were some older kids - in the 8-14 range. Gee, they were annoying. I'm just wondering if I am going to build a tolerance for this age as my kids reach it or if I am just going to have to grin and bear it for a bunch of years. Does anyone know what I am asking? If you previously didn't care for this age did you wind up liking it?

[Anonymous]

I think it's probably the same for parents who love their own kids but really don't like babies or toddlers as a general rule.

My DC is still young but I was a coach in youth sports leagues for a number of years and found that young people can be fascinating or annoying and bratty, pretty much dependent on how they were raised. In our own neighborhood we have two teens that I love and use as babysitters, and one who I think is the whiniest young woman ever.

[Anonymous]

They'll stop just being "older kids" and instead become "Kate and lily who is afraid of dogs and Ava who can do all those funny laughs and Tessa." You see?

[Anonymous]

Yes. Oldest is 9.

Teenagers--most seem to be good one on one, but in groups they're pretty obnoxious.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I totally get what you're asking! And yeah, my child it's 8 and I adore him. I like most of his friends too, but I used to think kids that age were annoying when he was a baby/toddler. I still love babies, toddlers, preschoolers etc. but yes, I know exactly what you're talking about.

[Anonymous]

well, I don't have a teen yet, and I kind of enjoy teens to be honest, but I imagine it is as the PP suggested - everybody has stages they like less in the abstract, but it makes no difference with your own kids.

me, i'm not a baby person, but I was as blissed out as any mom about my own babies!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I totally get what you're asking! And yeah, my child it's 8 and I adore him. I like most of his friends too, but I used to think kids that age were annoying when he was a baby/toddler. I still love babies, toddlers, preschoolers etc. but yes, I know exactly what you're talking about.

I totally know too. Mine are young - infant and 3 - and I hope I still think they're awesome when they're older. There was a neighborhood group of older-elementary kids at a party we were at last night and they were SO annoying.

[Anonymous]

Older is 10 and yes, I can deal with them better now.

OTOH toddlers and preschooler parents annoy the crap out of me.

[Anonymous]

I adore my 9 year old and generally "get" the age in a way I wouldn't have when he was a toddler. I "got" toddlers at that time and older kids were still a mystery. Now the thought of hanging out with a toddler for a day makes me sweat. I love the fairly deep, complex conversations we have, watching him bloom in school and become an engaging role model for younger kids in the neighborhood. He's still innocent and sweet but more interesting every day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Older is 10 and yes, I can deal with them better now.

OTOH toddlers and preschooler parents annoy the crap out of me.

Agreed, Mine are 13 and 9. They and their friends are delightful in many ways if you don't expect too much, which is generally a good rule of thumb when dealing with other people's children, no matter their age.

I love being around toddlers and preschoolers (although I wouldn't go so far as to say that I miss those ages!), but some of their parents drive me batty. Examples: still referring to yourself as "Mommy" and ending every sentence with a pleading "OK??" when your child is 5; using a stroller for a 4-year-old; allowing the child to eat only beige food, etc. And having raised my own babies at a time when everyone had phones (and then slowly graduated to smart phones) but they weren't quite so obsessed with them, I find it really sad to see so many parents and babysitters of babies and very young toddlers staring at their phones instead of talking to and playing with their children. I think we're ushering in an epidemic of developmental speech and language disorders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Older is 10 and yes, I can deal with them better now.

OTOH toddlers and preschooler parents annoy the crap out of me.

Agreed, Mine are 13 and 9. They and their friends are delightful in many ways if you don't expect too much, which is generally a good rule of thumb when dealing with other people's children, no matter their age.

I love being around toddlers and preschoolers (although I wouldn't go so far as to say that I miss those ages!), but some of their parents drive me batty. Examples: still referring to yourself as "Mommy" and ending every sentence with a pleading "OK??" when your child is 5; using a stroller for a 4-year-old; allowing the child to eat only beige food, etc. And having raised my own babies at a time when everyone had phones (and then slowly graduated to smart phones) but they weren't quite so obsessed with them, I find it really sad to see so many parents and babysitters of babies and very young toddlers staring at their phones instead of talking to and playing with their children. I think we're ushering in an epidemic of developmental speech and language disorders.

Woah. Post off-topic much?

[Anonymous]

Mine are 5 and 10 and I was never happier than when the youngest was out of the toddler stage. Ugh.

[Anonymous]

yup. but I can't stand being around little kids for any length of time.

[Anonymous]

NP - The poster who mentioned the idea of the impact of iphones and other personal devices in parents lives is right on. It is sad to see people at the park, walking their children etc. and their faces and attention are into their phones - talking or texting away. My middle daughter observed that one early morning at her pediatrician - even with parents who were there with their newborns - not interacting or watching their own kids. Imagine this will continue onto the area park or pool and then one wonders why things happen.

[Anonymous]

I adore my teen and 20-something kids, as well as my tween nieces and nephews and all their friends. I never liked babies until I had my own, and then got over that pretty fast once my kids were past that stage. But, now just as grandparenthood is starting to become visible as a tiny speck on the horizon, I'm finding that babies are really quite charming, aren't they?