Which Age Do You Like Most -- Newborns, Toddlers, Teens?

Madeline Holler — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:02:00 GMT

I totally get how mothering newborns can be a real downer, but truth be told, I loved the entire baby phase with both my kids. From newborn to that first birthday, I had little to complain about -- that includes the crappy sleep, feeling like a milk truck, the soft belly (oops, still got it), the showerless weeks. Loved it. Then the kids turned 1 and sure, still nice, but that was when the whole "mommy" and "precious baby" thing starts to wear thin. But the kids still napped, so I persevered.

And then.

After a few more months -- once they hit around 16 months old -- I was pretty much over the glory of caring for the totally dependent. At that point, I would have rather cut back my mothering hours to part-time, or maybe just weekends.

It was a phase of tolerance for me that lasted about a year for each kid. Sure, there were some good times. And it's always fun hearing the kids talk and having conversations. But there's something about that age -- the whining, demanding, pick-me-up/put-me-down, food tossing, messiness -- that is not terribly compatible with my personality.

The good news was, the closer they get to 3 years old and beyond, the more I started liking this motherhood enterprise all over again. (I should probably mention, affordable part-time daycare options really opened up for me with both kids around this time as well. Was my happiness a coincidence?)

All this is my way of asking, what's your favorite and/or least favorite age? Is there a particular phase you'd live over and over again? Or one that keeps you from ever bearing/adopting another child again? All my friends loved the after 1 phase. Any other meanies out there like me who didn't?

Photo: tailored.com

Strollerderby : baby phase

Which Age Do You Like Most -- Newborns, Toddlers, Teens?