I’m loving everything about 5, and yes, it is delightful.

Best age. I loved it.

But I am looking at it from the lens of kids who are grown up. I was terrified of something happening to us and my kids being left orphans at that age. Now that they are very responsible and easy going teens and twenty something - there is a sense of relief that they can manage to protect themselves incase something happened to us. Also, they are old enough to understand our financial stuff and career paths.

Anonymous wrote:I can totally see this, except my nine year old has severe ADHD and is suddenly not an only child and he is not handling it all well. He’s really just not pleasant. Ugh.

this, with a different diagnosis.
i keep hoping it will get better.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have always thought elementary age is a lovely sweet spot. Not for everyone, unfortunately, but for me it has been.

+1. Less high maintenance than babies/toddlers, no drama of the teens. Just curious, happy, lovely little folk. Love this age.

Yes. I loved it. Here is my favorite to least favorite (mom of three teens: boys and a girl), but I do note this this highly variable depending on kids and personalities.

1. PreK-5th grade - sweet spot. The only difficult part is summer break if both parents work.
2. Infant to 18 months - but I had easy babies. Just luck of the draw there.
3. Middle School - general moodiness, but they kind of self soothe by going to their room a lot.
4. Toddler - fun, but exhausting and challenging, and who wants to potty train.
5. High School aged - expensive again, plus moodiness, challenging, and testing boundaries. When shit hits the fan, it happens big time.

I always say 5-12 = golden age. My kids are teens now and are fascinating (to me), but the maxim "bigger kids = bigger problems" is definitely true.

Ha I never noticed this but you’re definitely on to something.

I can totally see this, except my nine year old has severe ADHD and is suddenly not an only child and he is not handling it all well. He’s really just not pleasant. Ugh.

Not for me.

I loved the newborn-age 3 years...

Then they got more difficult and pretty much intolerable during the middle school years.

High school has been wonderful.

Currently my oldest is 19 and youngest is 13...so we are just wrapping up the "intolerable years."

ES is the best!!! I had one year where all 3 of my kids were in ES and it was by far my easiest and most pleasant year as a parent.

4-14 is a dream!

Elementary was by far my favorite, too. Unfortunately, my cancer diagnosis ruined grades 2 and 3 for me. Still, it was a time she was independent enough to do things on her own (with supervision, of course) but still my little girl enough to snuggle in the evening, make goofy hairstyles on me and play dolls and games.

Middle school was a nightmare, from dealing with severe bullying to adolescent angst.

Anonymous wrote:I have always thought elementary age is a lovely sweet spot. Not for everyone, unfortunately, but for me it has been.

+1. Less high maintenance than babies/toddlers, no drama of the teens. Just curious, happy, lovely little folk. Love this age.

No. I hated the elementary school age. Once my kids got to about 11 I loved being around them SO MUCH MORE. 6-11 was miserable.

I have always thought elementary age is a lovely sweet spot. Not for everyone, unfortunately, but for me it has been.

The infant and toddler questions make me feel exhausted. The teen and tween forum makes me feel terrified. But the elementary aged forum seems delightful (favorite books, Need a birthday venue, tying shoes) kind of delight me. Does this sum up parenting generally?