Welcome to my new guest post series, Ponderings on Two, where I ask a different blogger and parent of more than one child, to share their experience of having a second child. This week, we hear from Amy, who writes at The Smallest of Things.
Well hello, I am Amy, a youngish Mum to two little girls and fiancee to James. We live in a sleepy village where not much happens but is a lovely place for children to grow up. When I am not working as a Deputy Manager in a Nursery, or creating new adventures with my family, I can occasionally be found over on my blog (www.thesmallestofthings.com). I created my little space on the internet when my eldest baby was only a few months old. I struggled with the loss of identity and it felt like a blog was the way to keep a piece of me! It has now grown to so much more and it is now an outlet for me, when I actually get the time to blog.
What age gap did you have between your first and second children? What’s their relationship like?
My eldest, Little S, 4, was 2 and a half years old when her baby sister came along. I find the 2.5 year age gap a bit of a weird one. At first it felt like the perfect age gap (is there such a thing?) but as Baby L (September 2016) became less of a baby it seemed to get bigger. Then as Baby L turned one it felt smaller again but right now we are back at that point where the age gap seems huge! Little S is 4 and starting school in September and Baby L is turning 2, also in September. Right now they are just at different stages in their lives and it causes lots of arguments, thats for sure.
Now this is a tricky question. I think for me it was, and still is, the trying to divide my time equally between the two of them. At present when I am not at work I have both girls at home with me so its tough trying to get time with them individually. I’m hoping once Little S is at school and my working schedule changes, then I will be able to find the perfect balance between them both.
Without a doubt, double the love, double the laughs, and double the joy! I also liked how at ease I felt as a parent with my second child. With your first I think it is massive adaptation and all a little bit scary but I just felt prepared and comfortable in my parenting role.
Baby wearing! It meant I still had two hands free to be with my eldest too and play dough as it kept my eldest occupied whilst I cared for my youngest!
Just take each day as it comes. Don’t read into all the horror stories. Find a routine that suits your family and just roll with it. If that means once a week or more you stay at home in your pyjamas all day, then do it 🙂
Thank you, Amy! You can find Amy over on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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