What Is the Perfect Time Frame to Have Another Child??

No perfect timing, and you can never predict personality. Some close in time sibs hate each other and you spend over a decade refereeing. Some are great playmates. Some distant aged sibs are the best of friends, others can't stand each other. Some parents can't stand the thought of diapers for years, others can't stand going back. Some want the independence a school aged kiddo has before a new infant monopolizes, others don't.

No perfect time. No wrong time.

My children are 4 years apart and I think this is a perfect time frame! My son is old enough to realize that his little sister is a lot smaller than him and needs different things than he does. He has his moments of jealousy but that will happen no matter how long you wait between children. He also is very protective of her and helps her when she needs it! A lot of how well they will get along depends on each of their personalities too though!

There is no perfect time frame.
I was told I could never have kids and got two basically 10 years apart.

I wouldn't have ever planned it that way, but it worked out perfectly for me. I didn't know any different and neither did my kids.
Children adapt to siblings whether they are closely spaced or not.
It just becomes part of the family structure.

Just my opinion.

It is different for everyone. For me and my husband, we wanted them
close and we were blessed to have four children in three years. Yes, a
3yo, 2yo, 1yo and newborn. We loved it. Never dealt with jealously. They
just thought every time I went out without them, I came home with a baby
LOL. We just did babies and loved every moment. Now I am sure people
will think we were crazy. They were always very close and 36 years later,
they still are. So for us it was the right thing.

and if he didn't understand and was jealous, it wouldn't be the end of the world. Close in age siblings end up being great playmates. Your are over thinking it. There is no perfect distance between kids, there are only plusses and minuses and wither you pace them 18 months or 5 years, there will still be up sides and down sides to either scenario.

There is never a perfect time to have a baby, change jobs, or move. Go with your gut and jump with both feet! He'll be fine - 4 yrs is plenty old to understand. He may be a little jealous, but that's ok. There are good lessons to learn in adjusting to a sibling.

There is no "perfect time" to have another child in my opinion. It is all based on your situation and your child's personality and I think a little on the gender of the children. My older two are 2 yrs 9 months apart and they alternate on loving each other and hating each other. My son (the middle child now) is the perfect big brother and dotes on his 7 month old sister (5 yr age difference), and he has always doted on the little kids on the playground from the time he could walk. All kids will be a little jealous at first, but with some preparation and extra attention from you and dad, they will adjust just fine.

No perfect timing...and you may try for that perfect "timing" and it may not work...lol We tried on our first "go around" for three years apart and it worked perfectly! Our daughter, and son are three years and 3 days apart. Then we thought we wanted just ONE more, three years later, so we tried just the same as we did before, but it didn't work the same and I got PG with TWINS and so #2 and #3 & 4 are two years and 4 months apart. The OLDEST daughter being nearly 25 now and the youngest daughter, 19, (boy/girl twins....so the girl of the twins) are NOT close at all and they are almost 5 years apart. The boy/girl twins are very close. Actually, all the kids are close, except the oldest and youngest daughter, I'm guessing it's the age gap, and female hormones? The boys do great with each other and with their female sibs. So, to answer your question, there is NO right or wrong age...just go for it and know they may have their times, but hopefully they'll all grow up healthy and happy!!!

Jealousy is just something you have to deal with. You co-opt your child into loving the baby. So don't consider that. I actually think that between 2 1/2 and 3 years is the optimum difference, but you are a little past that. I'd go ahead and start trying if I were you.

Dawn

I don't think there is one honestly.
My sis and I were 3 years apart, we didnt get along at all whatsoever.
But I have friends and cousins that got along perfect with siblings spaced at that age.
Mine were 11 months apart and got along perfectly from day one.
It's all different and depends on the children's personality on how they are going to cohabitate or not cohabitate peacefully.
My mother did everything she could to make my sis and I get along with each other, it just never worked.
Some of us end up with kids that embrace their siblings and some of us have kids that can't stand each other.
I see posts on here with grown ups that still dont get along with sibs.
We dont pick our family, we are born into it... and if we don't like everyone that's just the way it goes.
It's called individualism.
As far as making it easier on yourself for rairsing more than one child, there is no perfect answer. I liked having mine close togethr and that is what I would recommend, but others will different feelings about it.
I thought it was good to have them close, it seemed easy to me as the older was still a baby when the baby came, he didnt have a chance to be jeaolous since he was just learing toddler stuff and was busy doing that rather than clinging to me for attention.

I have 3 children a 10 yearold, a 3 1/2 year old and a 6 month old.

my oldest is 7 years apart from the middle child and they spent every afternoon together after the oldest comes home from school, they adore each other. this spacing of 7 years worked out perfectly and they are very close.
My middle child is 2 1/2 years older than the baby and that has been a LOT of work. My oldest gets along with both the 3 1/2 year old and the 6 month old, but my middle one worries me because she gets so jealous of the baby.

I think your son will do great since he will be four or older when the baby is born, good luck!

True there's never a perfect time but I say sooner than later is better. Mine are three years and I think it was perfect! They weren't in preschool at the same time, the oldest was potty trained and able to help or self entertain when the baby was born. Too much time in between and they can be too used to being the only child, therefore more jealous!

mine are 18 months apart.. and I dont recommend that spacing as I had a newborn and a very needy toddler..

It is not too early.. the kids would be 4 years apart by the time the baby was born your child would be in preschool and busy doing his owne things. I would try to get pregnant as soon as possible.. 4 years is a big gap.. It will be a big adjustment for your child as he has been the only for so long.

My sister and I are three years apart and have always gotten along well. My husband and his brother are 20 months apart, and their relationship has always been a bit tense. We decided to do three years apart and it has been great for our boys. Go ahead and get pregnant! Good luck!

There is no perfect time!

I think having kids every 2-4 years is the ideal. If they are further apart than that they end up being at totally different stages of development almost their whole lives. I think now would the time to start trying for #2.

My baby was born 3 months before my son turned 6 and it's been perfect for us! He adores his baby sister and loves helping.

The older they are and longer you wait, the more you have to deal with jealousy. I personally love the 22 month old time spacing. They are talking and communicating by that age, but too young to really have jealousy issues. (My kids are 22 months apart, 22 months apart, and 19 months apart. The 19 months was a huge difference than the 22, because the language hadn't really taken off yet for the toddler. But still no jealousy issues). Plus, you ask them now, and they don't remember life without siblings to compare it to. At 4, it will be an adjustment and your son will remember what it was like to have parents all to himself.

I would not wait. I thought I would space mine apart by 2 years or so, but was unable to conceive baby #2 due to secondary infertility. I was devastated to learn I could not have another, but my story has a happy ending: 8 years after child #1 was born, surprise baby #2 came along! This is a big age difference, but some things you just cannot plan! My now 9 year old boy is a HUGE help with his 16 month old brother. He was an only child for a long time, but the transition has been great so far. Good Luck!

when you want one and can afford one.
3 year olds aren't old enough to be the deciders, and there's no age limit on jealousy.
khairete
S.

My boys are 4yrs apart and I think it is great. #1was old enough to understand and not be jealous. We had one yr together as a family before he went to school (1/2 day) They are now 2 and 6 and play well. #2 totally looks up to #1 also. They are really good together!