What age is hardest?
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Category: General Chat
Forum Name: General Chat
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URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=22766
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Topic: What age is hardest?
Posted By: monikah
Subject: What age is hardest?
Date Posted: 26 November 2008 at 9:08pm
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i know there is no right answer to this but i just wanted your opinions on what age is hardest as a mum between the ages of 0 - 5. im going back to uni after i have this baby to do my bachelor of science, my honours, and then my PhD once the child (and hopefully a second) has gone to school. basically i am working out my degree schedule now and am going to be doing either 2 or 3 papers each semester. ive looked after my sisters kids through my last degree and remember it being a bit of a handful, but i probably wont be working as much this time around which will make it a wee bit earlier. so what i am trying to figure out is which years should i put in more papers? any advice would be great thanks. ------------- 
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Replies:
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 26 November 2008 at 9:11pm
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I have found studying with a newborn baby really easy. With a 2-4 year old a lot harder. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: Daizy
Date Posted: 26 November 2008 at 9:25pm
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Newborns are pretty easy, they sleep lots. By the time they get to 2 or 3 they are pretty full on (well mine is anyway) and no chance of a break when they dont sleep anymore. Its a wee bit better with her now at Kindy in the afternoons but still not as easy as my youngest. Im assuming at 4 she'll be at kindy more and hopefully a bit more independant although I'm still a bit off that yet. ------------- 
 
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Posted By: monikah
Date Posted: 26 November 2008 at 9:27pm
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yea, my other mission is that i look after my sisters kids (2.5 + 7) but the youngest will be at morning kindy by the time i have the baby. i figure if i dont work i mite be ok. vic has 3 creches. age 0-2, 2 - 3.5 and 3-5 but the youngest one only takes babies for 2 hours at a time so may have to do some juggling -------------
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 26 November 2008 at 9:34pm
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I finished the last year of my undergrad when Maya was a baby. I did three papers the first semester thru the Open Polytech then cross credited them back to my original degree and went on campus for the last semester and did another 4 papers. It wasn't too hard, altho she did go to campus daycare while I was studying on campus.
I definitely agree that newborns are easier than toddlers in terms of time demands. Thats assuming baby is fairly compliant tho - studying with baby Maya was a piece of cake but the first 3 mths with baby gremlins I was a complete write off for anything but just looking after them. -------------  Maya Grace (28/02/03)
 (02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: monikah
Date Posted: 26 November 2008 at 9:40pm
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thats what happens when you go and have 2 at once. lol. im not suprised you couldnt get anything done, id be a write off -------------
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Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 26 November 2008 at 9:47pm
I would say the younger the easier too, if they're an average baby (what's that?  ). Jack's just dropping down to one sleep now and I'm starting to realise life is going to get a lot more hectic soon (esp when we have #2).
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Posted By: Jennz
Date Posted: 26 November 2008 at 11:10pm
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I found 2 and 3 the hardest years. ------------- Jen, Charlotte 7 & Kate 3 
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Posted By: pomikiwi
Date Posted: 27 November 2008 at 8:25am
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yep 2 and 3 is pretty hard.
But I would be useless studying with a kid any age, lol! ------------- http://lilypie.com">  
DD-Carys Amelia 17.03.06 |
Posted By: ooEvaoo
Date Posted: 27 November 2008 at 2:01pm
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Kahtrell has been is tech daycare since Feb...so he was 14 months old....have him in there fulltime which works a treat as I get my classes and study time in while he's there, and any left over I need to do, I do when he's asleep at night. It's worked well that way so far. When baby #2 comes in the last half of my degree sometime.....I'll probably have baby with me until I'm able to get a place in the daycare (which starts from age 6 months)....which I'm sure will be hectic but manageble.....I've lasted 1 year...just got 3 more to go lolz. ------------- 
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Posted By: FionaS
Date Posted: 27 November 2008 at 2:24pm
I'll have to disagree. 
I am finding 2 much much easier than 0 to 2 but that is because Elle was a dreadfully unsettled kid who cried and grizzled for her entire first year and beyond. She did the sleep thing for the first 2 weeks of her life and they WERE easy weeks but that stopped by the time she was 3 weeks. Now she is an absolute joy (with the usual toddler issues!) and I find her so much fun to be with. We don't get massive tantrums etc though so overall I find 2 to be the easiest and happiest stage yet. 
------------- Mummy to Gabrielle and Ashley |
Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 27 November 2008 at 2:31pm
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ive found from about 18ish months to about 3 really hard, as in if I had known how bloody hard it would be, I'm not too sure I'd have been up for it, lol. But it passes and they are little for such a short time. It is easier when they have day sleeps, for sure, as you are able to get a coupl eof hours each time of solid work done (thats the theory, anyhow, I often still have 3 or 4 stories to go a day out from deadline...) ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: NeoshasMummy
Date Posted: 27 November 2008 at 6:05pm
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I studied easy as whilst Neosha was a New Born even though I was sleep deprived and exhausted I was at home alot and she would wake up for feeds and be back down for a nap and my study intervals worked out great for me. NOW is a different story she is heading towards 2 and I am really struggling, she has PAFT, Music, Kids and Koffee, other coffee meetups and when we are at home cleaning, cooking and general organising has to be done so my study gets pushed into the evening. Also they are very demanding of your time and attention. Sometimes it's good if someone can take her for a whole day and then I just study without a break until she gets dropped back. I would do as much as I could while he/she was a baby.
I haven't even gotten to 2 yet!  (But I must say this age is REALLY cute )------------- https://secure.fertilityfriend.com/home/30c4ec/" rel="nofollow">  Mrs Te Kani ❤️ Neosha 26/5/2007 |
Posted By: monikah
Date Posted: 27 November 2008 at 8:57pm
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awesome, ive been in 2day to plan my degree and they have put in 3 papers a semester by i can reallocate if i feel it is too much at any stage. becuase i am due 4 weeks before end of semester my baby is allowed to stay with me in class. i have also been put on the waiting list for semester 2 (they take 0 - 5 years) and my sister is going to take the baby on a wednesday and friday, so fingers crossed. PhD here is come. lol. they have even scheduled my classes while T is at afternoon kindy and H is at school so i only have one child to sort out. yay, vic uni is awesome and looking after mums, they even have a parents room on campus and a mums room at the creche so you can feed your baby and have a coffee between classes -------------
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Posted By: .Mel
Date Posted: 27 November 2008 at 9:01pm
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Puberty is the hardest! Mood Swings, sleeping all day, laziness. Toddlers are a walk in the park. ------------- Mr Mellow (16) Miss Attitude (8) Destructa Kid (3) 
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Posted By: monikah
Date Posted: 27 November 2008 at 9:05pm
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haha, sounds like a normal day with my brother in law living with us. and he is 26!!! -------------
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Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 27 November 2008 at 10:17pm
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actaully, i have to agree with mel. Mr 16 is driving me to drink and very nearly the divorce courts. ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: ooEvaoo
Date Posted: 27 November 2008 at 10:29pm
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Yah!...something to look forward to ..Awesome that Vic Uni are helping you out. Most Unis/Techs are quite accommodating for parents, and new babies. Wintec (where I am) allows children in lectures/class...just not in the Science Labs, there's a parent room up in the library/Hub and full time daycare. When I have #2 will probably study full time still....and when baby is old enough to go into daycare I'll be able to go over and BF. -------------
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Posted By: BuzzyBee
Date Posted: 27 November 2008 at 10:55pm
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20 months mate, I'm over the tantrums and fussy eating, waking of a night time. I think we're starting the terrible 2's early here
But on a nicer note, he can be an absolute angel when he wants to. Newborn - 8 months are DEFINITELY easier though. Make the most of it while it lasts I say |
Posted By: monikah
Date Posted: 28 November 2008 at 7:41am
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aesome, i think i got quite lucky, Miss T is 2.5 but she has been cruisy the whole way through but i dont have to look after her 24hrs a day, she is nowhere near as good for her parents but its hard to gaige. thanks heaps for ur help guys, im feeling butter better bout my decision now -------------
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Posted By: jaz
Date Posted: 28 November 2008 at 3:25pm
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If you've got a happy settled baby that has a good sleep routine, no colic, reflux etc then the first six months are good. After that it can be pretty tough until they are about 3-4.
I studied full time when DD was four and that was a piece of cake, they go to bed early, kindy is cheap, and they get invited to lots of play dates. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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