Hands down this threenager phase is the most exhausting for me. Even worse than sleepless newborn days. We had unicorn sleepers and good eaters, so the mental anguish that comes from battling a 3yo daily is a new normal for me.
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Well, this month has been the hardest ever, because we have all been sick non stop. But 2.5 was rough. I don't know if it was bringing the new baby home or the age or that she did get sick a bunch, but it's been really hard. My older LO was a super difficult newborn too though. We haven't reached 3 yet but have already had some epic tantrums and defiance.
Thankfully the baby has been relatively easy.
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For E, the first year. She was colicky and basically miserable all.the.time. She hated being held, hated being put down, hated the car, hated her bed, hated her parents.....!
Three (almost) is definitely challenging, but 60% of the time I think she's awesome. That first year, I could have happily put her on ebay!For S, she's almost 11 weeks and every single minute is a joy. She sleeps like a dream, eats like a dream and, even though she is currently sick, she's still smiling. I'm naively hoping it stays this way!
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I think it was a toss up between the semi-colicky newborn days, the 4 month sleep regression, and the months after she became mobile but was still not STTN where I was just so exhausted and had such a hard time keeping her out of trouble. Toddlerhood has been much easier in comparison.
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So far 3-3.5 has been HARD. Just generally exhausting, and different than newborn exhausting. I feel like they really turn a corner around 4, which is soon thankfully!
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3-4. We have low needs horrible sleepers and 3-4 was still harder.
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3-4, definitely.
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Infant. I was worried every second of every day that she was going to die. I may have had a little bit of PPD....
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Early three was very difficult. She's kind of mellowing out again. She was having a really hard time with everything for a while. School, new baby, transitioning to no nap, sick, you name it it was wrong in our house.
Mean and stubborn. It was not fun. -
DS turns 3 next month, but started his threenager this past month and omg!! So damn frustrating!! Things that were never an issue before are now every day headaches. WTH?! And the attitude - *angry puffing out of the nose like an upset dragon*
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I would say whatever stage is new (just turned 3). I'm not good at change
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2 months. Adrenaline wore off and I was sleep deprived. Still didn't know what she wanted most of the time, researching like crazy about everything under the sun. Everything was a blur.
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@MoonMoon: Yes me too!
What I've noticed is that when they're small, the solution can often be purchased...but as they get older the problems get more complicated. The social and emotional stuff is the hardest. How do you even respond without dying inside a little bit when your kid comes to you and tells you that they wanted to play with a child in their class and that child calls them a name?
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The first four months with my first baby were 100% the hardest. Colic was hell for us.
He was a dream from 6 months to 2.5 years. Now, at 3 years 4 months, he is pretty difficult. But nothing like the screaming, sleep deprived desperation of having a colicky newborn.
My second has been a high-needs fusser from the beginning, but not colicky and he's not a threenager yet so it's so manageable
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@mrsjyw: Ditto! Age 3 has been so taxing.
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Initially the newborn phase was so difficult. Then I had a second, and it was so easy the second time around. 3 has to be the hardest so far, and I fear what it will look like for LO2. He is already my problem child, and I don't know if I can survive the 3's again.
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@808love: Yes, 2nd month for me too!
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Newborn, then 3 years old. 4 is hard too but much much better than how I remembered it.
9 months to 2.5 years was the best so far. With 1.5 years being an absolute dream...
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@mrsjyw: 3 for sure! Newborn/babies were easy for me, we also had unicorn sleepers. But man the 3 year old attitude and blankly ignoring us when we talk to her (discipline) is going to cause me to go fully gray!
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The first part of 3 (so not quite til 3.5) was the worst match for downsides of age and my strengths/weaknesses as a parent. It was a brilliantly frustrating time period for both of us! After that it got better (or we both figured out how to cope better?), and so far 4 has been good. Still some frustrating moments, but way less frequent so that makes it easier.
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Right now since I have just one I would say that newborn was hardest. Like 0-6 months. 0-3 was really pretty bad. I also think I had PPD so that factors in.
But I think if I had another I wouldn't feel it was that bad.
ETA: 21 months is challenging for different reasons. There are moments I am beyond frustrated with tantrums and he is active and exhausting. But he is so funny and cute and the personality is just oozing out of him so that really offsets it. Newborn was hard because you put so much in and get so little out. But I can see now how it would feel easy compared to the current stage.
I'm rambling. Haha. -
16-18 months.... he was learning to walk, and getting a lot of words, so he went through a rough 4 week sleep regression. Then he was sick, and then was getting his canines in. I felt so bad for him, but it was rough. He is usually very sweet and chill and this was just like, walking on eggshells because his temper was so short. Now at 21 months he's back to his usual fun and funny self, thank god.
Three (almost) is definitely challenging, but 60% of the time I think she's awesome. That first year, I could have happily put her on ebay!
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