Redditor Bemoans Having a Toddler and a Newborn—Is There an Ideal Age Gap?
The transition from one to two kids (or more) can be difficult. Suddenly, you need to divide yourself into more parts, and no amount of books or social media advice can prepare you for what's to come.
But does age spacing play a role? We often hear about parents with two kids under two years old having it especially hard—so many diaper changes and big feelings. But one parent recently welcomed another child to the family and is struggling with a three-year age gap between siblings. The person took to Reddit to commiserate.
"No one ever talks about how you'll be raising a toddler in the terrible twos/threenager stage and a crying infant at the same time," wrote u/Betzy_b33, who has a 3-year-old and 9-week-old, in the Mommit subreddit.
The original poster (OP) believes the age gap will be nice in the long run, but the transition has been rough.
"Holy f*** is it hard," the OP continued. "We both know this time is temporary, and we wouldn't trade our girls for the world. I just wish we would've thought about the clash of the milestones between both ages more."
The Redditor ended the post by advising others to think long and hard about age gaps before going for another baby.
"If any of you are considering having a second child two to three years apart, I hope this post encourages you to do what we did not, and really consider what life will be like with a 2 or 3-year-old and an infant," they wrote.
Reddit appreciated the advice, but many of the nearly 300 commenters pointed out that there are highs and lows with any age gap.
"I have three girls, and there's a four-year gap between each. People said how smart we were, but now that they're 16, 12, and 8, it's hard to pick a movie or plan a fun activity. Maybe you're experiencing the cons now, and the pros will come down the road," replied the top commenter.
"I had three under four for a hot minute, and man, 3 is a rough age," wrote another seasoned parent.
"Mine are 8 months and 3.5 years, and I think it's been a good spread. The 3-year-old is good at independent play, though, so that helps a ton. Tantrum days are bad, though. The first few months were the worst," said someone else.
"We're five weeks into an eight-year age gap due to secondary infertility, and it's been great so far. The big kid understands what's going on, and it was pretty easy to set expectations for the changes that were coming," one person commented. This was a great reminder that a lot is out of our control when trying to build our families.
And one Redditor put it all into perspective by highlighting the ultimate light at the end of the tunnel.
"No matter how many kids you have, and no matter how they are spaced, one day you will realize that you no longer have to wipe anyone's butt," the person said.
So true. But is there an ideal age gap?
Research from 2018 found that it's best to wait at least 12 months between pregnancy to reduce risks such as pre-term delivery and death. A study from 2011 indicated that older siblings tended to perform better on math and reading achievement tests when there was a larger age gap (at least two years). But researchers conceded more data was needed to draw definitive conclusions.
Really, there are pros and cons to every age gap, and so much of it will depend on each child and parent. Experts suggest prospective parents consider the following when thinking about age gaps:
- Mindset. Do you want to have both kids in diapers at once? Be responsible for multiple children who are dependent on you for everything from diaper changes to meal prep, as most kids under three years old are?
- Playmates. Kids with smaller age gaps may be more likely to play together and run in the same friend circles as they grow up. Are these things important to you?
- The older kids' feelings. Younger children are less likely to remember being an only child. At the same time, older kids may be more likely to embrace being a parent's helper and assisting with feedings, diaper changes, and snuggling. They understand concepts like patience, compassion, and empathy, which can go a long way in coping with the transition to life with a younger sibling.
Again, it's really what you, as the parent, think you and your family can best handle. There will be joys and challenges with every age gap. But whatever you do, don't shame others for their age spacing and understand that it's not a competition over who "has it harder."
Comments (2)
Our kids are 2.1 yrs apart. The first year with 2 was rough. But after our youngest turned 1 and was a little more independent, looking after two was frankly easier than looking after 1. They kept each other company, entertained each other, and ratted each other out if there was trouble (this eventually morphed into keeping each other out of trouble). They have similar interests, and enjoy each other's company now in elementary school.
Read MoreThe best thing we did, though, was planning the gap BEFORE the first one was even born. If we had "waited until we were ready", we'd have a single child. :P The biggest caveats to our age gap working out: it wasn't a problem for us to have 2 kids in diapers; our kids were neurotypical and healthy, so we did not need to re-assess the age gap we had originally planned; and our kids happen to get along.
I knew that I wasn't going to just bang babies out. It was important to me to really enjoy my kids' early developmental years and spend that one on one time with them. I also went to school with sisters who were a year apart. The younger sister was extremely smart (later went to an Ivey league school and is a lawyer). The younger sister skipped a grade and wound up in her older sister's class. The school recommended the younger sister skip another grade, but their mother didn't want her in a higher grade than her older sister. Every time I saw kids 1-2 years apart there was so much competition between them.
My oldest 2 are 5 years apart, which was perfect for doubling my amount of kids. I felt that 1 to 2 kids was the hardest transition, and luckily my oldest began kindergarten at that time. She adored her little sister and would read to her. Now that they're 13 and 8 they don't get along as much, but I feel that has more to do with their personalities and also my oldest being a grumpy teen.
There's 3 years between my 2nd and 3rd. That means my middle child was 2 when I was pregnant. Thank God my middle child potty trained herself, because I was so sick with hyperemesis that I felt like I missed a lot of that year with her. I was really wracked with guilt.
My son DID NOT like his sister for the first year of his life lol. She was 3, so she just wanted to touch and hold the cute baby all the time. He would cry every time lol. But they're 4 grades apart because my son was born after the cut off day, and I feel that's just right. They have enough in common and my middle child is eager to teach him.
I wanted to have 3&4 4 years apart because I really feel that's the perfect gap. It's after potty training, when you've gotten to fully enjoy all the firsts without popping out a new flavor. But now I'm dealing with secondary infertility (probably endometriosis) and currently at a 6 grade age gap, so we'll see.
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