What do you think is the ideal spacing between children?

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Permalink Reply by Working-mom-of-2 on January 12, 2009 at 10:37am

my sons are 20 months apart. I always wanted them close togheter and I was very lucky that everything worked out fine.
They are now 3,5 and 5 years old and they are such great buddies.
I would do it again this way if I had to.

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Permalink Reply by minnemom on January 12, 2009 at 10:51am

To me, 22-24 months is perfect. 13 months was much too close (from a parent perspective; that first year was awful). Too much time in between and they don't share interests and activities.

I had four in just under 5 years and it was crazy-busy for a while, but now they're good friends with each other and we can do a lot of things as a family rather than involving them in extracurriculars all the time.

Linda

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Permalink Reply by Jessica on January 12, 2009 at 10:53am

Working-mom-of-2 said:

my sons are 20 months apart. I always wanted them close togheter and I was very lucky that everything worked out fine.
They are now 3,5 and 5 years old and they are such great buddies.
I would do it again this way if I had to.

That's how me and my sister were and I'm hoping maybe my husband might at least think about it, but men are stubborn. I still have one month to go so I'll keep trying to sway him as much as I can! :-P

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Permalink Reply by Jessica on January 12, 2009 at 10:54am

minnemom said:

To me, 22-24 months is perfect. 13 months was much too close (from a parent perspective; that first year was awful). Too much time in between and they don't share interests and activities.

I had four in just under 5 years and it was crazy-busy for a while, but now they're good friends with each other and we can do a lot of things as a family rather than involving them in extracurriculars all the time.

Linda

Oh wow that's a lot to have in such a short time, but I'm glad they ended up getting along so well! It makes me like the idea of having them closer in age even more, but you do bring up some good points.

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Permalink Reply by Jessica on January 12, 2009 at 10:54am

Crystal said:

My oldest was 4 when i gave birth to my youngest who was born in march i would've rathered them closer in age but it will be okay! Now the next one I want sooner :)

Ha ha same here. I want my next baby a.s.a.p.

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Permalink Reply by Indre Ashley on January 12, 2009 at 3:38pm

I think 3 to 4 yrs apart is easier on the parents. My sons are 4 yrs apart and my eldest is really a good helper! He loves his brother to bits!
I am a year and 2 apart with my siblings and I don't really get along with them! Like you say, everyone is different!!

Have fun!!

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Permalink Reply by Jessica on January 12, 2009 at 4:13pm

Indre Ashley said:

I think 3 to 4 yrs apart is easier on the parents. My sons are 4 yrs apart and my eldest is really a good helper! He loves his brother to bits!
I am a year and 2 apart with my siblings and I don't really get along with them! Like you say, everyone is different!!

Have fun!!

See I never thought about it from that angle, but you helped me open my eyes a little bit. I hope he ends up being the good helper, than again when he hits the "girls have cooties" stage I think maybe it might be a little harder :-)

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Permalink Reply by Danielle on January 13, 2009 at 9:02pm

There is seven years difference between my brother and I and it made things difficult because he didnt want his little sister annoying him when the *guys* came over after school. My daughter is 14 and my son is 1 and that is a huge difference and can make it complicated. People assume I have a built in babysitter but I dont because watching her brother is not her responsibility. When we go somewhere and she holds him she gets annoyed at the looks she gets because she gets the "oh no another teen mom" look..even though its her little brother. It has been good on one aspect..I've had a real life baby borrower (seen the show?) in my house and I think she will be much older before she considers children! lol I think two years between children is a good age difference.

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Permalink Reply by Lorry Fach-Pedersen on January 14, 2009 at 8:00am

I would love for my DD to have a sibling 11 mos. younger but I would not have loved getting pregnant 2 mos. after her birth. Yikes!

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