Were/are your second children anything like the first?

notanewuser

Person_one wrote: »

I have to wonder if your sister would have a different interpretation.

I've no idea how you can be so sure that you were an 'angel' as a baby and a toddler!

Erm, my mum, dad, aunties, grandma, family friends etc telling me........??

My sister knows she's a nightmare. Her partner moved in about a year ago. She reminds him every single day that she could make him homeless with a snap of her fingers if she wanted to. That's what she's like. She laughs about it.

Person_one

Humility is an important quality, just sayin'.

notanewuser

Person_one wrote: »

Humility is an important quality, just sayin'.

Cheers for that. :huh:

DigForVictory

All three of mine are rampant individuals - and we wouldn't change a thing.
Baby two will never be like baby one - as you've grown up as parents, so you'll parent them differently.
Whether they learn to sleep through before they're 18 months depends on how much it matters to you - the more you fuss, the lower the odds...

onlyroz

My son went through a nightmare phase when he was around age 3 (probably partly because that's when my daughter was born). He's now a well-behaved 8-year-old who does what he's told on the whole. My daughter was an angel when she was a toddler but now she's a 4-year-old brat from hell. I'm hoping a term or two of "big school" will help to calm her down. She goes to swimming lessons on Saturday mornings and the instructor took me aside and said that if she behaves as badly this weekend as she did last then she'll no longer be welcome on the course :eek:

Kaz2904

I had my trying one first. We have two because DS decided to surprise us . I remember saying to DH "I can't do this again ". When he arrived he was the most chilled out baby in the world. He wouldn't smile for anyone except his sister and me for a long time. He used to sit and study people's faces.
DD is loud, outgoing fun and really popular. DS is a dreamer now, he has some friends but not loads and doesn't have close friends. He's not a socialiser really.
I love them both but I am leaving home while DD is a teenager .

fawd1

JodyBPM wrote: »

Most toddlers are really easy, and adorable when you can give them 1:1 attention, and can parent them consistently with no distractions, or competing priorities.

Hence first children often appear easier than second children as toddlers.

My first didn't just appear easier, he WAS easier, by miles. Slept through the night by 6 weeks, cried for nothing except food and sleep. My second (14 months after fist) woke every two hours for 9 months, and even now at 3 years still wakes in the night. Let's just accept it. Some kids are easy, others not so much, and it's not much to do with parenting at that age. My youngest will now admit that he only loves cuddles whilst my eldest tells me he loves me and gets on with his day. Same parents, less than 2 years apart, same parenting style.

Person_one

fawd1 wrote: »

My first didn't just appear easier, he WAS easier, by miles. Slept through the night by 6 weeks, cried for nothing except food and sleep. My second (14 months after first) woke every two hours for 9 months, and even now at 3 years still wakes in the night. Let's just accept it. Some kids are easy, others not so much, and it's not much to do with parenting at that age. My youngest will now admit that he only loves cuddles whilst my eldest tells me he loves me and gets on with his day. Same parents, less than 2 years apart, same parenting style.

Do you not think the fact that you had a 14 month old to care for as well made a huge difference?

System

My son came out yelling and just didn't stop. He kept me awake all day and night. Was fussy with his food, and was generally a misery.

Along came my daughter who never had a night feed from the day I bought her out of hospital. She slept well, ate well, smiled a lot and wasn't in the slightest way demanding.

Spendless

notanewuser wrote: »

I was just wondering, because I don't know anybody whose second child had an easier temperament than their first, even when the first was a terror!

I had them that way round, the 'terror' first. Just about everyone I knew had had a 'difficult' second baby and spouted the 'if I'd had him first he'd have been an only child' line to me. I always wanted more than one and it made me think, well if you get your 'good' child first, what comes next.:eek: 2 people who had had their 'handful' first told me that you would go ahead with a 2nd if that was always what you wanted and also that you would find the 2nd to be a doddle in comparison. They both turned out to be correct.

Sleeping was the main issue with the eldest, to this day he struggles to get off to sleep, even now at 13.5 and it took him until he was nearly 12 to not be waking up around 6am also. DD aged 10 was a lot easier in that respect and still is, but they are both different children with different personalities. DS is 'mellowing' as he gets older whereas DD is becoming more 'stroppy'. Son is a better and more adventurous eater than daughter is. He is more logical but lacks confidence whereas daughter is full of her own confidence but doesn't always concentrate on the task in hand. Son is very good at maths and science and not so good at literacy and has horrible handwriting. Daughter is better at English, sometimes needs help in maths and isn't interested in Science. Son when younger joined cubs/scouts loved the outdoor pursuits and camping, daughter joined Brownies for a few weeks before quitting and adores her recently joined drama class, which would be my son's idea of hell to join.:rotfl: