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Exactly like the child that you've (generic you not you in particular) smugly decided is the result of parenting you don't agree with and have patted yourself on the back for avoiding as the result of your stellar parenting.
Ex-actly! My mom had a friend who had a fourth who was a little hellion. She told my mom once, "I deserved a kid like this. I was way too critical of other people's kids".
To be fair, parenting is easier for some than others. Unfortunately you won't know until you're too late to turn back. I know moms who spend half the day yelling at their children. Two of them have 2 kids and both are pregnant with their third. They seem so exasperated with 2, I have no idea why they went back again.
I only have one, and I know in my heart that I don't have patience for another, and will not have another again.
We have 2 (twins), so my experience in raising babies/toddlers is skewed lol! They're 6 now, and I love being around them. I think I've "fallen in love" with them in a different way at this age, and my parenting is much better at this age. Parenting seems easy these days, and they're good kids. Do well in school, don't fight much, and they're best friends.
But baby/toddler years Those were the worst years of my life! It was physically demanding, emotionally draining, and I didn't enjoy much of it. Things started getting better when they were 4.
But the odd times where I have only one of them, yes, it seems easy. I sort of wish we had another one, but we're too old now (IMO). Actually, I'd prefer the third child to be 8 years old lol!
I suppose you could do like the Duggars and once you have enough kids, have the older ones raise the younger ones.
I grew up as an only but have an older half brother. I do notice that bigger families are closer and seem to have more fun with each other. I think it's important for children to have siblings. Siblings have a special kind of bond you can't get with anyone else. I personally would like to have four or five children myself. I don't my kids to grow up as a lonely only like me.
My son and his wife had five children (with one set of twins) in six years. To my mind their household is complete chaos (I had only two.) To them, it's perfectly normal.
I only have one, I have no desire to have another. Mine is 5 now. I hated infant through toddler years.. OMG did I hate it.. Now I have some freedom with her to go to stores and no drag a diaper bag and a purse and ask 500 times "do you have to go potty?" just to grab a gallon of milk. I could never go back and do it again.
My husbands grandmother had 7 kids in 7 years. When we ask her how she did it she said she went temporarily insane. She doesn't remember much of that time.
My husbands grandfather was the youngest of 10. His oldest sister died in the depression. He (his grandfather) died last month at 92. Its kinda sad to see him out live all 9 of his siblings plus his parents.
I had two girls and then a boy. My third child was finally the angel baby you read about--took long naps, smiled all the time, rarely cried. But I definitely put in my dues with the first two.
The best part was that they all entertained each other. Having one child was really exhausting for me because she constantly wanted me to play with her. Had the second baby, and boom, first child had a built-in playmate and I got a break.
Quote:
Originally Posted by maciesmom
Exactly like the child that you've (generic you not you in particular) smugly decided is the result of parenting you don't agree with and have patted yourself on the back for avoiding as the result of your stellar parenting.
Some of us get that difficult child the first time! I do know some people who only have one easy child and are really critical of other parents. I like to see how it pans out when those "perfect parents" have a second child and quickly discover that what worked with their first kid doesn't work with the second, and conclude that their parenting is maybe not as awesome as they thought it was.
My 1st has been well behaved for the most part. She has always been a very calm and meticulous child. M Our son hit us like a freight train. All boy, into everything. He takes a bit more work than his sister.
It's funny because I had the exact opposite: my older two were such easy babies that I honestly though people were nuts when they talked about how hard it was the first year. Then along came my third child... from the moment he tore his way into the world, the first 2 years were absolute hell. He was an incredibly difficult baby (one of those colicky types who had to be in-arms all day and puked every time he cried) and always had this pissed-off look on his face. He finally started to mellow out after his second birthday, and from then on he has been easier than the other two during the toddler and preschool years.
Quote:
Originally Posted by maciesmom
Third children are interesting. I have several friends and relatives who had a "whoops" third child ( not to imply that all 3rd or subsequent children are the result of a whoops). In many of my friends/relatives cases, that 3rd child was the easiest and most level headed, after two who were handfuls.
There is a case to be made for diminishing returns at some point though. One of my friends has seven (due to an undiagnosed health issue BC was just not working) all under the age of 8 and she always says once she had four, the addition of other kids was seamless for her and her husband, though I doubt the older kids felt that way.
Yikes! I definitely don't want a 'humility child'. My only is usually sweet and easy-going, from birth to today. I always had a feeling that if I went back #2 would have me ripping the hair out off my head!
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Those were the worst years of my life! It was physically demanding, emotionally draining, and I didn't enjoy much of it. Things started getting better when they were 4. 
