I have loved every age except 3 and 12. I have a senior in HS and she is a joy. The teen years have been some of my favorite times.

Every year gets better than the last starting at 4 IME

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I loved 1-4, or maybe 1-5.

HATED the elementary school years.

Since sixth grade, I've LOVED them again. Now almost 17 and still loving it.

I've never heard this. Why did you hate the ES years?

Same, I wondered too after reading this. Most people I know love the toddler years OR the teen years, not both. And don't understanding hating the period in between them.

5-12 is the sweet spot

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I loved 1-4, or maybe 1-5.

HATED the elementary school years.

Since sixth grade, I've LOVED them again. Now almost 17 and still loving it.

I've never heard this. Why did you hate the ES years?

I find that unusual too. For many people they're awesome!

Anonymous wrote:I loved 1-4, or maybe 1-5.

HATED the elementary school years.

Since sixth grade, I've LOVED them again. Now almost 17 and still loving it.

I've never heard this. Why did you hate the ES years?

OP, I think 9-13 are the years you have the most influence. At 13 they are baked, the glue has dried ... Before 9 they are children. Nothing really messes them up unless there is some sort of trauma. After 13, you can impose rules and try to curtail bad decisions. 9-13, those are the years that matter most for parenting.

DS is 12 and it's my favorite so far. He was a challenging toddler. 5 was the worst. It's gotten easier and more fun each year since. Now he's a total delight.

DD, 11, is kind of the opposite. She's still awesome but just started struggling last year with some mental health issues (severe anxiety) that make parenting her much harder than anything that came before. Until last year, she was the sunniest kid. I still relish being her parent, but it takes so much more work now.

I have loved every year better than the previous. Until 14. We’re at 14 now and facing some unexpected challenges. Holding out hope that it’s a speed bump.

I loved 1-4, or maybe 1-5.

HATED the elementary school years.

Since sixth grade, I've LOVED them again. Now almost 17 and still loving it.

I have loved every age more than the one before. Its not that it always gets easier or simpler, its just that as my kid grows he becomes more himself, and has more thoughts and opinions and passions and experiences, and I get to share those with him. He's 13 now.

Son - 16ish. Hit a mature place, and was/is/is becoming (early 20s now) a lovely young man.

Daughter - ES. 6th grade was good too, but once she hit 7th grade, it all went down hill. She started to come back toward the end of 9th grade, but became unbearable (again) in the middle/end of senior year. Now in college, and I am seeing glimmers of a nice human being again.

Honestly, I've loved and hated every age at some point. I just try to look at the positives of the current age and remember anytime things get hard and I miss a younger age, that there were things about that age I totally don't miss.

Every year gets better and better in a lot of ways. Loving 7 and 9 and looking forward to 8 and 10.

What were your favorite ages or stages with your kids? Was it the same with each kid (if you have more than one) or different?


I have no personal experience here, my kids are still really young (8 mos and 3 yrs) I am just curious what you all think.