So as you know I live with teenagers and a toddler at the same time. Both have their challenges but who's harder to handle?!
Mess makers
- Teenagers are notoriously messy, they care not about wet towels strewn about the place, growing mouldy science experiments in their bedrooms or being overly zealous when it comes to washing the dishes.
- Toddlers leave discarded toys in their wake, empty drawers/cupboards/the contents of your handbag the second your back is turned and literally eat out of the bin (or is that just mine?!)
Winner:Toddlers are the messiest. Well at least you can force ask the teenagers to help you tidy up.
Tantrum thrower
- Teenagers are by their very nature stroppy creatures. They throw tantrums about mostly everything, such as, you daring to ask them to do anything other than stare at the tiny phone screen pulling faces on this thing called 'snapchat' whatever that is. They also don't like being told how to dress, what time to be home, what they're going to eat. The list goes on...
- Toddlers throw tantrums over smaller things such as sitting in the supermarket trolley, the cat ignoring them, not being allowed to eat toothpaste or play with electrical sockets and so on.
Winner: Teenagers are the biggest tantrum throwers. Toddlers are notoriously fickle and therefore more easily distracted.
Fussiest Eaters
- Teenagers really only like two foods; pot noodles and super noodles. If you ask them to eat anything else you will more than likely face objection and possible threats of them reporting you to Childline for ruining their lives because you tried to get them to eat quinoa.
- Toddlers will eat just about everything including crayons and cat food apart from the food you actually want them to eat. They will show their appreciation for your hard work in the kitchen by decorating the floor/walls with it.
Winner: Teenagers are most fussy. See earlier note about toddlers eating from the bin.
Worst sleepers
- Teenagers are nocturnal and will pretend to be asleep when they're supposed to be but really the glow you can see emanating from under the bed covers is from their mobile phone because they didn't chat to their friends enough all day they have to chat or 'snapchat' all night too.
- Toddlers will lull you into a false sense of security. They will trick you into thinking they're in the deepest of sleeps so you tip-toe away from them ninja style, only when you're halfway down the stairs they will sense you have abandoned them and awaken immediately. They have the capacity and stamina to play this game all night long.
Winner: Toddlers are the worst sleepers at least teenagers are sneaky about it and won't disturb you. They will also never ever wake you up at 6.00am. In fact, the only thing that annoys them enough to get up is if you go in and vacuum under their bed.
Verdict: It's a draw, their both as bad as each other!
Abby
This is hilarious!
Seems the toddler mess and tantrums will not go away but rather morph into other forms of mess and tantrums? Oh the joy...
You might relate to my '10 Toddler Commandments' which I've just added to #thelist too: http://www.mummymuddler.com/children/the-10-toddler-commandments/
Abby
Mummy Muddler
Amy
Yes that's it exactly haha! I popped over and read your post, was very funny. Thanks for the heads-up x
Kaye
Haha, I love this post! It must be so interesting to see the differences in a wide age gap! Though my stepson is almost 10 and our youngest is 1 so we'll probably begin to see these changes soon. #TheList x
Amy
It is and is great most of the time eek! You're in for some fun ;) x
Life with Six Kids
I have both teenagers and toddlers at home - an interesting combination. I do wonder why I choose to have both as it is not easy - especially the tantrums x
Amy
Yep the tantrums do absolutely suck! x
Louisa
I have a 4 year old, a teen and 2 tweens in our house. It is hard going. The teenagers capacity to eat and sleep is astounding! They are all a raging bundle of hormones. Send help!! #thelist
Amy
wow louisa, I'm thinking you deserve a medal for having a house full of different ages! x
You Baby Me Mummy
Fabulous huni! What a great post. You must be supermum! I couldn't cope with more than one xxxx
Melodie Cullen
Amazing Post !! Thanks for showing me what is to come... I'm nervous.
you baby me mummy
Thanks for linking up to #TheList x xx
Lindsay @ Newcastle Family Life
I also have a toddler and a teen and at times they really are as bad as each other. But when the teen is in a sulk it is horrendous. Totally relate to the glow of the phone under the duvet , that happens every night here. Xx
Amy
I seriously know exactly what you mean Lindsay-teen sulks are the absolute pits aren’t they? Much worse than the toddler ones xx
Katie / Pouting In Heels
Haha! Love this post Amy! Didn't half make me chuckle. Thanks for giving me an eye opener into the world of teen parenting too. (I've got a while to go until then thank goodness but if Elsie ends up anything like me, oh my, I'm in for a challenging ride! ;-))
xx
Amy
hehe for sure, teens can be a handful! xx
Pickinguptoys
This is so funny and so true!!It's just like it at my house I have to say my teen is definitely the hardest xx
Amy
Yep I’d have to agree-which is totally not what all the parents to little ones want to hear but it is very true, they’re hard in a totally different way though aren’t they? xx
Kate Tunstall
Haha, this is brilliant! I knew there was a reason I was dreading teenagers... But I have a while before we reach that stage. You must be a saint doing both at the same time! Xxx