Back when I was the one with little babies, I used to feel sorry for people with older kids who didn't capture random glances at the mall. Life must have been so sad for those people, I naively thought, who no longer have the cute kids as their own! Snort. Now that Lily is 8, I'm beginning to see the merits to having older kids. Here's what I've discovered so far, and I'm looking forward to many, many more.
1. I can sleep in! Or at least not get up the second the kids do now that they can grab breakfast on their own and turn on the TV. Such a beautiful thing.
2. They can dress themselves. Sure, they may look a tad mismatched, but at least I don't have to assist.
3. I get more than a "good" when I ask how their day was. (Or at least with my daughter I do.)
4. They can navigate the DVR. And, help me in doing so.
5. I can embarrass them, and have a blast doing it.
6. I can enjoy watching TV with them. Hello, Brady Bunch reruns and so long, Dora and Caillou!
7. They can shower alone and I no longer become drenched during bath time.
8. They understand consequences and can be reasoned with. Sometimes.
9. They can read to themselves. Buh-bye, Dr. Seuss.
10. They can do chores. I mean, that's almost reason enough to have another one.
What joys have YOU discovered as a parent of older kids?
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Comments 28
My oldest are 6, 8, & 10 and I was starting to enjoy all those things, but now I also have an 11 month old... I am enjoying the baby stage all over again, but I will be happy to be done with baby gates, food purposely being thrown on the floor (just to watch it drop), and diaper blowouts with poop all over the place!
One of the perks of having the older kids, is that they can watch the baby while I take a bathroom break, do my chores or if I need to get some work done.
I am right there with you on all of them! My 10 yo even does her own laundry nowadays! And like cmjaz said, it's awesome when you realize just how funny your kids are deliberately. I've said repeatedly over this past summer that I love that I can sit and have an actual conversation with my kids now, with serious input on their sides.
Best part, we can do things as a family without needing extra stuff. We can just get up and go. We can go to amusement parks and actually ride the coasters and next year, we are taking a cross country trip. It's a very bittersweet feeling to be sooo sad that your babies are growing up and, at the same time, being sooo excited for the next chapters of our lives!
I have a 21, 19 and a 14 year old and I must say I LOVE MY LIFE!!!! It is great! I love getting to go where I want to when I want to!! I had my first kid at 18 and it is so nice to finally be about me and what I want to do!! I LOVE IT!!!
Oh and btw, it is not like I won't be able to enjoy a baby anymore....when I become a grandmother I can spoil them and send them home!! I hope that is what happens anyway....I have no plans on raising anymore kids that is for sure!!
Having a teenage daughter. You can share their clothes.
My youngest is 20 and my oldest of 4 is 30. I love that nobody lives at home on a full time basis. I don't have to clean there rooms.
All of the above! Although I do have my 7 y/o read to me, so we get that quality time in, and she's still practicing her reading. She's good reader, so she can read books to me that I'm actually interested in, so that's a plus. Once in awhile I will read to her, when she's had a particulary long day and is just too tired. I also love how funny she is, and having real conversations with her. It's awesome! I'm looking forward to when she's 8 and I don't have to deal with booster seats anymore! It'll be so nice for her to be able to go with her friends (or her friends come with us) and not have to worry about making sure everyone has their booster seat!
Well my youngest is 6 and it is nice all the things she can do on her own now. My oldest is 16 and is is really nice because at this age the are happy to entertain themselves and do chores. They are motivated to do chores so they can have so freedom which is nice.
"My favorite part is when I realize that their sense of humor is more sophisticated and they are really funny." — cmjaz
Oh that is SO true. My teen daughter has me in stitches daily. She'll do a comedic mashup parody of my misspkeaks... this is how she get back at me. ; )
I am sad that I have only 3 years left of the 'heavy lifting' as a parent. : (