The Greatest Joy of Parenting Kids With a Large Age Gap That No One Told You!

I will start here with a modest confession. When we had our first child (and that was 10 years back), we were just married! We were kids ourselves who had taken a dive into the tidal waves of marriage and were bestowed with much larger responsibility! Having another baby after over 9 years was like riding on a big sea wave amidst a cyclone! To be brutally honest, going back to changing diapers scared the shit out of me (pun intended!).
Now, 5 months after becoming a mom again,  I realise what a sheer joy it is to be parenting kids with a large age gap! Here you go with some fun and exciting facts that make it a beautiful journey:

1. You Actually Get Time to Enjoy Motherhood

With the older child being more independent in the case of a large age gap between the kids, there are less things for you to worry about. Your older child can bathe himself, feed himself and even pack his own school bag without you needing to run behind him. That gives you more time to focus on the little one and steal away some time for yourself too! After all, this may be your last chance to be parenting again and you do want to thoroughly live it!

2. No Sibling Rivalry

Now that’s quite a big deal, isn’t it! Your older child may still be in love with his toys and other belongings, but there will be less fights over cartoon channels, toys and toffees! You won’t hear yourself howling and yelling to foster the concept of sharing and caring between them. The two of them will have a separate line of essentials;  be it clothes or toys and you will see them seldom fight over these.

3. Small Hands, Big Help

Being a new mom means going bonkers between changing nappies to long feeding sessions. However, you will breathe a sigh of relief when you see your older one rendering helping hands with those numerous unending daily errands; be it helping to fetch a diaper or a nappy; or even to keep a watch on the new baby as you take a quick break or need to make a short trip to the kitchen. A little help with a new baby goes a long way!

4. Strong and Deep Bond

With a large gap between kids develops a much greater bond of love and compassion. The older child gains respect and trust while the younger one receives ample care and protection from the older one. You will be pleasantly surprised to see how the older child learns the art of nurturing the little one and learns to be patient. Your older child can read bedtime stories to the little one. Both of them will benefit immensely from this ritual and this will strengthen their relationship. Your joy will know no bounds when you see your older one taking the role of a parent more than a sibling!

5. Feel Much Younger Once Again

As they say, you are never too old for a Disney movie! Becoming new parents means extended years of watching cartoons! And you thought that age was catching up on you 🙂 It’s like teaching those tiny feet again to walk, but with more of an experience and less things to worry!

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