There are people who always think the stage they are in is the hardest. I find it very condescending when people tell parents of babies how easy they have it. I have a tween and an 8-year old. They can be frustrating at time but also very fun. I miss babies, but I also appreciate that my life is much easier in many ways.

I think of it the same way I think of all stages in my life. Sure, I loved the freedom of my 20s but I don't want to go back and re-live it. I accept the positive aspects of my 40s.

It's true, you will miss it though! The years go by in a flash and then they're gone forever

Signed, mom of a 7 year old, 9 year old, and 11 year old

Mine are 3 and 7. It is still hard, but much much better than with babies. They use the toilet. We all sleep through the night nearly all the time. Behavior is still a work in progress...I say things like 'You must wait your turn to talk," "Is that kind?" etc., 100x per day, but I know that raising decent humans will just get harder as they get older. However, I now get decent sleep and exercise at least a few times a week, and get a few hours of my own time each weekend. Those make a big difference (And we both work full time--so it's not just possible for SAHP).

The years of building your family are exhausting. Once you stop being pregnant and raising babies and can actually enjoy the family you created it gets a lot more fun.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This doesn’t sound fun. Why keep having kids? Consider birth control after this pregnancy.

Agree. Why are you doing this to yourself?

+1. The invention of birth control has been life changing for women. Take control of your fertility and stop this nonsense. Having kids is not that great.

She's having number 3, not number 7. What is wrong with some of you?

I have 2, not exactly what you would call many, and still the early years were hard. You can want kids, enjoy them, and still be tired when they are very little and needy.

Anonymous wrote:Raising toddlers and preschoolers is simple but not easy.

Raising teenagers is easy but so, so far from simple. Yes, they are independent in terms of self-care but it’s a fricking mindfield of emotions, fears, expectations, true dangers... I could go on and on.

When I was raising little ones, I would fall asleep on the rare occasions my head was able to hit my own pillow. With teenagers I have lots of time in my bed but worries keep me awake way too often.

Bottom line: parenthood means being tired all the time.

Yes! You have described it perfectly.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This doesn’t sound fun. Why keep having kids? Consider birth control after this pregnancy.

Agree. Why are you doing this to yourself?

+1. The invention of birth control has been life changing for women. Take control of your fertility and stop this nonsense. Having kids is not that great.

Op here - surprisingly we actually love having kids and all of ours have been planned. Doesn’t make it less tiring doing the day to day grind but overall it’s rewarding. Nothing beats having a fat chubby 3 year olds arms around you while they snuggle in for a hug before bedtime.

Anonymous wrote:It's a very weird feeling to both hate your current situation AND realize they are the best days of your life. I am so nostalgic already, but also so anxious for it to end.

Well said. I hugged my almost 4 year old tonight and thought "god I blinked and you are already a fully formed person." We also have a 17 month old and two extremely demanding jobs. It's hard. Some days I love it but it's mostly just hard.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This doesn’t sound fun. Why keep having kids? Consider birth control after this pregnancy.

Agree. Why are you doing this to yourself?

+1. The invention of birth control has been life changing for women. Take control of your fertility and stop this nonsense. Having kids is not that great.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a very weird feeling to both hate your current situation AND realize they are the best days of your life. I am so nostalgic already, but also so anxious for it to end.

They will end. One day, you suddenly will realize you no longer have little little kids. Your youngest will be school aged and that will be it. Those years will be over. That is where I am. I remember the long days where the 4-6 pm time period dragged on for eternity. And then getting everyone ready and in to bed and asleep. And then I would fall asleep, to be awoken by crying at random times of the night. I was exhausted. And now I am not. And those years seem like they went by in the blink of an eye.

I genuinely have no idea if this makes me elated or heartbroken. I miss my little babies already. But I'm so tired.

Well, I would give anything to have them itty bitty again for one hour. But life is so much easier now. So much. The elementary school years are awesome.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a very weird feeling to both hate your current situation AND realize they are the best days of your life. I am so nostalgic already, but also so anxious for it to end.

They will end. One day, you suddenly will realize you no longer have little little kids. Your youngest will be school aged and that will be it. Those years will be over. That is where I am. I remember the long days where the 4-6 pm time period dragged on for eternity. And then getting everyone ready and in to bed and asleep. And then I would fall asleep, to be awoken by crying at random times of the night. I was exhausted. And now I am not. And those years seem like they went by in the blink of an eye.

I genuinely have no idea if this makes me elated or heartbroken. I miss my little babies already. But I'm so tired.

Gosh, I have a 4.5 y.o. and a 5 month old that still wakes to eat a few times a night and I feel like it's going so so fast already.

Anonymous wrote:This doesn’t sound fun. Why keep having kids? Consider birth control after this pregnancy.

Agree. Why are you doing this to yourself?

Anonymous wrote:I'm past that stage now, I have a 6 yo and a 9 yo. I miss some of those cute and funny baby/toddler moments but love the elementary kid stage. I believe that people refer to 5-10 as the golden years. These years actually have flown by faster than the early years -- I can't believe one kid will be done with elementary school and we're heading to tween/teen and MS. When did that happen?

I'm still close enough to the baby/toddler years to remember how hard they were and so I don't have nostalgia for them yet!

Elementary years were a picnic compared to my life now. Kids are 13 and 14.
You still have to be a parent(way more so, actually)
All the fun stuff we used to do as a family is pretty much gone.
It's a hard time.

Anonymous wrote:It's a very weird feeling to both hate your current situation AND realize they are the best days of your life. I am so nostalgic already, but also so anxious for it to end.

They will end. One day, you suddenly will realize you no longer have little little kids. Your youngest will be school aged and that will be it. Those years will be over. That is where I am. I remember the long days where the 4-6 pm time period dragged on for eternity. And then getting everyone ready and in to bed and asleep. And then I would fall asleep, to be awoken by crying at random times of the night. I was exhausted. And now I am not. And those years seem like they went by in the blink of an eye.