What is the right age gap between your first and second child?
When you plan a family you probably have a fair idea about how many children you want to have. If you are planning to have two or more, the right age gap between them means that your kids have the perfect companion in their growing years. Even better, understanding the best age gap between kids will also make your life a lot easier. Let’s take a look at how the age gap plays a big role in your children’s lives and your lives as well.
Age Gap of 1 Year
This is called a small age gap and has several pros and cons as mentioned below:Pros:
- You kids will actually grow up with one another.
- The work that goes into raising babies, from diapers to sleepless nights, will be squeezed into a much shorter time frame. Once it is over, you can resume your normal life without any breaks later.
- The older child will assume the role of an older sibling and will become more independent faster. The younger one will also follow by observation.
- You can cut expenses as most toys and clothes can be shared between the children. While there may be some squabbles, this is the best age gap between children as they will also form a friendlier bond.
- The feelings of sibling rivalry are fewer when the children have a small age gap between them.
- You will be able to get back to your career and other goals faster.
Cons:
- If the difference between your first and second pregnancy is too small, it will take a toll on your body. It is also very exhausting to take care of two babies at once.
- Your older child may not have developed a regular sleep schedule yet. This means you will have to divide your attention between the kids more.
- There is a lot of pressure financially as you will have to invest in things like prams and car seats that cannot be shared by them when they are still growing out of them.
- You will also have to shell out on the education of both children in a very short span of time. You will not have time to prepare.
Age Gap of 2-3 Years
This is known as a medium age gap and has the following pros and cons:Pros
- When you have a three year difference between your first and second pregnancy, you will enjoy the growing years of both children.
- The elder child will already be independent and you will already have the experience that you need to raise babies.
- The first child is readier to take on the role of an older sibling making this the best age gap between children.
- When your older child is two is the best age to get pregnant as your body would have healed from the previous pregnancy as well.
- During the day, one child will be at preschool giving you more time to focus on the second one.
Cons:
- The siblings may take longer to play with one another.
- Sibling rivalry is more as the older one may not always want to hang around with the little one.
- You may need a nanny to help you take care of the routine of both kids. For instance, if feeding time and school time clash, you will need a nanny for the latter.
Age Gap of Over 5 Years
This is called a large age gap and has the following pros and cons:Pros:
- This is the best age gap between kids as you have all the experience that you need to raise a baby again.
- The best age to get pregnant is when your older one is about five as you have had all the time that you need to relax between pregnancies.
- You can actually set aside older sister or brother responsibilities to the older child to ease your schedule.
Cons:
- This is not the best age gap between children as they are in different developmental stages and may have very little in common.
- Education is very different over the years as one is in school and the other one may be of to college.
- You will have to cater to unique demands of each child.
- There are chances that your body is not ready for a pregnancy as you are also older by now.
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