{"id":623,"date":"2018-11-28T22:19:09","date_gmt":"2018-11-28T22:19:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/?p=623"},"modified":"2018-11-28T22:23:01","modified_gmt":"2018-11-28T22:23:01","slug":"what-is-the-best-age-gap-for-siblings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/what-is-the-best-age-gap-for-siblings\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is The Best Age Gap For Siblings?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Everyone around you has probably already told you when they think you should get your next baby. Some will advocate you do it quickly to keep the age gap small while others will advise you to wait a while.<\/p>\n

They have good intentions but ultimately, the best choice about how far apart to space your kids depends on your particular family dynamics.<\/p>\n

Some people prefer them in quick succession while for other families a larger age gap is easier financially and otherwise.<\/p>\n

So what’s the best age gap for siblings? Let\u2019s look at different age gaps and their pros and cons.<\/p>\n

12-18 Months<\/h2>\n

This is a good age gap if you want your kids to grow up almost as twins. Twins tend to bond better and fight less.<\/p>\n

They\u2019ll also be close together during most of life\u2019s milestones, ensuring none of them feels alone.<\/p>\n

Some parents might also find this smaller age gap to be better for their life plan. Get it over with and go back to your career, start a business or travel.<\/p>\n

It might also be easier on your finances. One parent can stay home to look after both kids, you can buy the same set of clothes for the kids and they can even play with the same toys that they can share<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On the downside<\/strong>, a 1 to 1.5 year age gap can be incredibly stressful for the mum.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s the toll they take on your body during both pregnancy and breastfeeding. It will be a long time before you get to enjoy a good night\u2019s sleep or take a solo trip for days.<\/p>\n

Talking of breastfeeding, you may have to wean off the first child before they are ready to stop breastfeeding.<\/p>\n

Then there is the mental stress on both parents of taking care of two young children. They are adorable and all but they can be mentally exhausting especially between the ages of 2 and 4.<\/p>\n

This age gap is ideal if:<\/h3>\n
    \n
  • You want to close that chapter quickly and focus on your career or business.<\/li>\n
  • You started having kids late in life.<\/li>\n
  • You have someone like a nanny to help you with childcare.<\/li>\n
  • You feel emotionally and mentally ready to have another child.<\/li>\n
  • Your doctor says it\u2019s okay to have a child this soon after the last pregnancy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    18 months – 2 Years<\/h2>\n

    Doctors recommend waiting at least 18 months before getting pregnant again for health reasons. So most siblings tend to fall within this age gap.<\/p>\n

    The biggest advantage of a 2-year gap is that you get time to emotionally and mentally prepare for another child.<\/p>\n

    Your kids are fairly far apart but still close enough to play together and bond.<\/p>\n

    The issue with a 2-year gap<\/strong> is that the first child is just entering into the \u2018terrible twos\u2019 period. This exacerbates sibling rivalry.<\/p>\n

    Financially, it can also be a bit difficult. They need separate toys, clothes, books and other items.<\/p>\n

    This age gap is ideal if:<\/h3>\n
      \n
    • Your doctor recommends waiting 18 months-2 years before getting pregnant again.<\/li>\n
    • You need more time to mentally prepare for another baby.<\/li>\n
    • You don\u2019t want to wait too long before getting another child because of career, business, personal preferences or age.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      3 – 4 years<\/h2>\n

      For parents who want more time to get ready for another child, 3-4 years is ideal.<\/p>\n

      You get plenty of time to spend with the first child during the crucial early years. By the time the second one is coming along, their sibling has become more independent.<\/p>\n

      It\u2019ll even make parent easier because the first child doesn\u2019t require as much attention.<\/p>\n

      There is still a risk of sibling rivalry at this age gap but it\u2019s not as big as with a 2-year gap.<\/p>\n

      The main downside<\/strong> with such a large age gap is that your kids may not play well together especially during the first years.<\/p>\n

      But with time, most siblings that are 3-4 years apart become as close as any other siblings.<\/p>\n

      This age gap is ideal if:<\/h3>\n
        \n
      • You want to reduce the risk of sibling rivalry.<\/li>\n
      • You want more time before the next child.<\/li>\n
      • You are relatively young and so have time to get pregnant again.<\/li>\n
      • You want to spend enough time with each child during their first two or three years.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        5 or More Years<\/h2>\n

        If you want to deal with only one child at a time from birth until preschool, 5 years is the best age gap.<\/p>\n

        By the time you are getting another child, the first one has become more independent and doesn\u2019t require round the clock attention. They may even help out with some simple chores.<\/p>\n

        You have also had time to recover physically and emotionally.<\/p>\n

        The problem with such a large age gap<\/strong> is that you go right back to zero \u2013 preparing for delivery, changing diapers, breastfeeding, colic and dealing with a stubborn 2-year old.<\/p>\n

        You\u2019ll also be older now. It may not be as easy to keep up with an active toddler.<\/p>\n

        There\u2019s also the issue of sibling bonding.<\/p>\n

        Kids who are 5 years apart barely have anything in common. Throughout life, they\u2019ll be at very different stages, which can make it difficult for them to bond.<\/p>\n

        This age gap is ideal if:<\/h3>\n
          \n
        • You want a lot of time to spend with each child.<\/li>\n
        • You have plenty of time to get pregnant again.<\/li>\n
        • You don\u2019t want the stress of bringing up two closely spaced children at the same time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          Everyone around you has probably already told you when they think you should get your next baby. Some will advocate you do it quickly to keep the age gap small while others will advise you to wait a while. They have good intentions but ultimately, the best choice about how far apart to space your kids depends on your particular family dynamics. Some people prefer them in quick succession while for other families a larger age gap is easier financially and otherwise. So what’s the best age gap for siblings? Let\u2019s look at different age gaps and their pros and <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":625,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[56],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhat Is The Best Age Gap For Siblings?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Some prefer kids in quick succession while for others a larger age gap is easier financially and otherwise. Let\u2019s look at different age gaps.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/what-is-the-best-age-gap-for-siblings\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What Is The Best Age Gap For Siblings?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Some prefer kids in quick succession while for others a larger age gap is easier financially and otherwise. Let\u2019s look at different age gaps.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/what-is-the-best-age-gap-for-siblings\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Kids Toys Club\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-11-28T22:19:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2018-11-28T22:23:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/brothers-boys-kids-baby-50601-1.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"667\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Nicky Ellis\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Nicky Ellis\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/what-is-the-best-age-gap-for-siblings\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/what-is-the-best-age-gap-for-siblings\/\",\"name\":\"What Is The Best Age Gap For Siblings?\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2018-11-28T22:19:09+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2018-11-28T22:23:01+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/ffcaf9f2829c838753679b00807c4828\"},\"description\":\"Some prefer kids in quick succession while for others a larger age gap is easier financially and otherwise. Let\u2019s look at different age gaps.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/what-is-the-best-age-gap-for-siblings\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/what-is-the-best-age-gap-for-siblings\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/what-is-the-best-age-gap-for-siblings\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"What Is The Best Age Gap For Siblings?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/\",\"name\":\"Kids Toys Club\",\"description\":\"Kids Love To Play With Our Toys\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/ffcaf9f2829c838753679b00807c4828\",\"name\":\"Nicky Ellis\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/90010401663837be9e3b5f9070b3e4e9?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/90010401663837be9e3b5f9070b3e4e9?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Nicky Ellis\"},\"description\":\"Nicky started Kids Toys Club in 2016. She is a mum of three and also a certified podiatry assistant. She enjoys writing about parenting and her morning yoga sessions.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/author\/nicky\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"What Is The Best Age Gap For Siblings?","description":"Some prefer kids in quick succession while for others a larger age gap is easier financially and otherwise. Let\u2019s look at different age gaps.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/what-is-the-best-age-gap-for-siblings\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"What Is The Best Age Gap For Siblings?","og_description":"Some prefer kids in quick succession while for others a larger age gap is easier financially and otherwise. Let\u2019s look at different age gaps.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/what-is-the-best-age-gap-for-siblings\/","og_site_name":"Kids Toys Club","article_published_time":"2018-11-28T22:19:09+00:00","article_modified_time":"2018-11-28T22:23:01+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1000,"height":667,"url":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/brothers-boys-kids-baby-50601-1.jpeg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Nicky Ellis","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Nicky Ellis","Estimated reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/what-is-the-best-age-gap-for-siblings\/","url":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/what-is-the-best-age-gap-for-siblings\/","name":"What Is The Best Age Gap For Siblings?","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/#website"},"datePublished":"2018-11-28T22:19:09+00:00","dateModified":"2018-11-28T22:23:01+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/ffcaf9f2829c838753679b00807c4828"},"description":"Some prefer kids in quick succession while for others a larger age gap is easier financially and otherwise. Let\u2019s look at different age gaps.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/what-is-the-best-age-gap-for-siblings\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/what-is-the-best-age-gap-for-siblings\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/what-is-the-best-age-gap-for-siblings\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"What Is The Best Age Gap For Siblings?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/","name":"Kids Toys Club","description":"Kids Love To Play With Our Toys","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/ffcaf9f2829c838753679b00807c4828","name":"Nicky Ellis","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/90010401663837be9e3b5f9070b3e4e9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/90010401663837be9e3b5f9070b3e4e9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Nicky Ellis"},"description":"Nicky started Kids Toys Club in 2016. She is a mum of three and also a certified podiatry assistant. She enjoys writing about parenting and her morning yoga sessions.","url":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/author\/nicky\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/623"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=623"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/623\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":629,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/623\/revisions\/629"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/625"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=623"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=623"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=623"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}