BellaOnline Forums Family Siblings What is the best age gap between siblings?

As a parent of young kids.. no way could I have handled my 24 hour colic daughter if my son was any younger.

3 years between them is perfect. He was ready to be independant and go to dad. He didn't need me as much anymore.

I miss that now though.

My first 2 were a year and 16 days apart and were pretty much like twins - they're adults now and very close.

My kids are 2 1/2 yrs apart. I think they are good together. He is old enough to play and teach her things.

There is a 9 yr and 7 yr gap between me and my sister and brother. It was hard growing up and being that young. My husband and his brother are 17 months apart. They played and did everything together. I was left out a lot. Now we are really close, but I missed out on a lot. By the time I was old enough to do things, no one was interested anymore. So hiding Easter eggs or Trick or Treating was more of a hassle than a fun event. That is why I try so hard to make everything special for my kids.

I am not sure what the best age gap is...but I am sure I am going to find that having 4 kids in 2 1/2 years is going to be tough. I always though 2 1/2 to 3 years was a good gap, as my sister is 3 1/2yrs older and brother is 3 1/2yrs younger, and we all get along, also have a sister 5yrs older than me, and we just started sharing common interests a few years ago

Still can't get over the two sets of twins in such a short period of time.

Is there an age gap that you think is not good? For me I thought 2 years & under wasn't good because the oldest wasn't ready to be independent yet... PS I'm the oldest of two (2 years apart)

Yeah I cant get over 2 sets of twins period. There isnt a history that we can figure out in our families. I must just be extra lucky.

I always felt 3 to 3 1/2 years was a great age gap. I guess with my kids being so close in age, I am going to have to make the best of the age gap that we have. I think however nature takes its course is what you have to deal with. We are not handed anything we cannot handle..right???

Im the 4th child in a set of 5. There also is 17 years between the oldest - who will be 40 jan 21, and the youngest - who will be 24 a week before her.
We all have severely different personalities, my sister was a freshman in college when I started 1st grade. Even now I'm not so close with my 3 older siblings. Granted we get along just fine, if an outsider were to threaten any of us 5 the other 4 would help handle it (be it boyfriends, legal, money whatever) Maybe it's just because I lack perspective or real life experience comapared to their respective ages of 40, 38 & 33 to my 26. It wasn't until my middle brother and ! both were in college and we had some common ground - probably because I grew up from being a dorky high school know it all. Im closest with my younger brother, there are 3 and 3/4 years between us. Of all my siblings, if I had to pick a roommate, it would be him. I will say tho, My nieces who are now 15 and 14, We can get together & have a great day like were all old friends. Not so easy with my sister or their father.

With large families age gaps tend to grow wider between oldest and youngest. For many who grew up in a large family or as an only child, this can influence how many children they choose to have.

If you were in a large family did you choose to have a large family or a small family?

If you were an only child did you choose to have a small family or a large family?

My father was an only child...while my mother was the youngest of 3.
Also, my brother is the only one of us to have children at this point in time, as far as I know none of us are too keen on running out and procreating in our present stages of life.

I grew up in a family of 4 and loved it, I always wanted 2-3 kids, but luck has it I will have 4 as well. I have 2 sisters and 1 brother...I will have 3 boys and 1 girl.

My sister has 2 sons and she wants at least 1 or 2 more. My brother talks about having 2-3...my oldest sister is okay with nieces and nephews.