Parents: at what kids’ age did you get the most enjoyment out of your kids?
Forgive me for phrasing the question a bit weirdly - I hope you know what I mean. I’ll give two examples.
My mother said she really liked it when my sister and I were two years old. (I mean separately - we aren’t twins and weren’t two years old at the same time.) She liked this because we were discovering and learning so much about the world.
My friend has a daughter. He said that he thought that when she was ten years old, it was the perfect age - she was young enough to still be obedient and old enough to have meaningful conversations.
And yes, I know, parents usually love their kids at any age, of course. But what’s your favourite age for your kids to be, and why?
Maybe age 3. She was getting more independent, for example going to preschool, and able to be left unattended while I took a shower. But she was still a sweet tiny little thing.
Well, he was nice when he was small enough that when I set him down and walked away he was still in the same place when I came back.
Then around the 6 month stage when he was so into me and he would sit on my lap and we’d play for hours.
Between 18 months and 3 years I wanted to put a bullet in my brain. He wasn’t bad, just quick and into everything and never wanted to sleep.
That is when I woke up one night to his laughter, and went downstairs to find out he was pulling all the eggs out of the fridge and throwing them at the dogs.
Everyday was a new adventure, from him getting stuck in the sticker bushes. to getting into the ink berries, to drinking peroxide, to chasing a snake, and teasing the dogs, and running down the driveway buck assed naked with me in pursuit, to whipping off his diapers and throwing them at the dogs, to following behind me as I straightened up the house and throwing everything on the floor, to hiding my car keys, to pulling food out of the fridge and cabinets and feeding it to the dogs, to climbing out of his car seat so he could sit up front with me
OMG I never thought I’d survive the terrible twos!
There were a couple of horrible times when he was about 4 or 5 when he’d sneak out of the house and take off.
He thought that was a lot of fun until one day he went through some pampas grass and couldn’t find his way back through. I could see him and was going to get him but he couldn’t see me, you could hear him screaming a block away.
Outside of that I’ve enjoyed all the ages and stages.
My doctor told me every age brings its delights and every age brings its challenges. He said to embrace the delights and forget the challenges, because they all pass too quickly.
TEN!! Definitely ten. My daughter is currently ten and I have been in heaven for the last several months. Really - she’s capable of having thoughtful, fun, interesting conversations and she’s old enough to be fairly independent and responsible.
She’s full of ideas and she hasn’t started scorning my attention yet. I fear 13, but I imagine the time between 9 and about 12 are quite good.
I had a hard time with the under 5 years, just because there is no reasoning with a kid that young and they pretty much need constant attention. Blech - not my fave. I mean, sure they’re cute and all - but I prefer where we are at now.
I have two sons, They are in their late 20s now and on their own. I raised them as a single father.
I would say that the ideal age, the age I enjoyed them the most, was about 10 years old. Maybe 8 to 12. The age when they were up for anything, fishing, clam digging, hiking, anything outside.
A few years later we still did some of those things, but when kids get to teen age they have other interests, other focus, and then once they start driving you can forget about quality time.
They are fine young men now, but in my dreams they are always 10 years old.
Another vote for the early tweens. I’ll go a bit younger, to about 8, actually. Logic is emerging, language is positively articulate, cynicism hasn’t yet taken over (says the cynic), they still actually want to tell you things and share cuddles, but they can amuse themselves for hours without hovering supervision. It’s just so awesome watching a middle schooler learn and teach about the world.
Toddlers are pretty darn awesome, too, but a lot more work. And so short. Much easier when my back was younger.
Four year olds? You can have 'em. Please! Take them, take them far far away!
From when they are trained to maybe 12. After that, they are struggling towards independence and all the problems of teenagehood. Then they leave home and that’s that. Empty nest.
Three. I’d come in the door from work to see my little girl come running at me shouting “Daddydaddydaddydaddy!” Saturday mornings she’d come in to watch cartoons with me. If I was asleep (or pretending to be), she’d either kiss me awake or smack me on the top of the head. I’d read to her every night. By the time she was 5 she was reading for herself.
For my oldest it was (or still is I should say) teenage years. My son has definitely got the gift of gab which can be annoying sometimes when you’re trying to watch TV or read. But aside from that we’ve had some really good bonding moments and some really interesting conversations in his teenage years.
For my youngest, it was when he was a toddler, SO playful and a regular Matlock. There wasn’t a crib on this earth that could hold him and no counter too high should he want something from it. Also, I’m ashamed to admit, I loved the fact the he preferred me over his mother.
My niece, 4-8, she used to shower me with affection. Now as a young teen she hardly acknowledges my existence.
With my boy who is now 17 it was around age 3. His sister was yet to be born. I was a SAHM and we enjoyed each other immensely. He was so incredibly curious about everything, his vocabulary was growing daily and just pure joy to be around.
With my daughter (she turned 13 yesterday) it was between 8-9. She was so affectionate, still thought I was “the cat’s meow.” She was/is playful, very active and pleasant to be with.
They are both still great kids - but my daughter is about to hit puberty full force. :eek:!!
While those ages were very enjoyable with them both, I absolutely love the teen years also. I like how independent they’ve become, and watching them grow into young adults is great. Our relationship is different now…in a good way.
But I’ve got to go with the 6 months - one year range. They have that blank, clueless baby look, it’s so much fun to watch them explore, and crawl, and play with their toys. Their smile is such pure joy, and the tops of their heads (at least in my kids) has that fuzziness that I can’t get enough of.
I loved 5. Each of my kids went through a period of time around that age in which being good was its own reward, and it was delightful.
I have to echo the thoughts about 10, too. My daughter just knocks me out sometimes with her intellect and conversational skills. She’s started in on some of the tween moodiness, though, and I could live without that. At 8, my son is still crazy about me. I’ve been wondering for a few years now if/when that will change.
I don’t even know. I know it wasn’t infant to 2 yrs. It definitely wasn’t 4th -6th grades (so 9-11 ish). Those were the hardest years so far.
I’m really kind of loving the last few years 12 to (almost) 15. He is just so interesting to talk to. He’s a real thinker and he has a lot of opinions. We like the same music and he’s old enough to take to concerts. Plus, he isn’t one of those teens who is embarrassed by his mom. He even kisses my cheek still when I let him out of the car at school.
I’m enjoying ten. My oldest is ten. There has been a very noticeable change towards him having far greater interest in me than in Mrs P. Like others have said, he’s old and smart enough to do stuff together but hasn’t yet become a teenager.
My girlfriend thinks my love of babies is weird. My mother tells me I loved babies even when I was a baby. And I’m good with them and they usually like me. So my favorite is anything from 0-3 years. I still enjoy them 3-6. From then on they get bratty. Even my two who are really good kids.
I have a vivid memory of a perfect summer day, walking through the yard of the local school toward the baskeball court with my seven year old son. I was going to teach this perfect little human how to play. He was skipping along in front in anticipation, jabbering away like a seven year old will. A perfect day.
At seven he was revealing the person he would become and was still affectionate. Soon he would learn that mom and dad have flaws (like the fact that I don’t know anything about basketball) and we will lose some of our charm.
But what’s your favourite age for your kids to be, and why?
