Stress. A TODAYMoms.com survey of more that 7,000 mothers found that the least stressful number of kids is four, while the most stressful number is three.
In fact, mothers who have three children are the most stressed out - even more so than those who have four, according to a. The study found that while transitioning from two to three children is overwhelming for parents because it means they are outnumbered, mothers tend to 'let go' once they reach four children.
Four is the magic number
The study reported a greater sense of life satisfaction for large families, too. And I guess it is pretty satisfying when a parent of four children manages to get them out the door on time, adequately clothed; not to mention, that feeling when all four children are asleep at night …
Grow your family to at least four children! According to a study out of Australia's Edith Cowan University, parents with the most life satisfaction (which means those who are the happiest) are those that have four or more children.
Two kids require more time, more attention, and more energy than one, which means you have less of all of those to spend on each other. Date nights, romantic evenings, and even casual conversations are harder to come by. You also have more things to disagree on.
At 3 they gets bit easier, in that you don't have to be on high alert ALL the time, and they develop the concentration to sit and watch TV for longer periods, but 4 is a turning point. It really depends a bit on the child's personality and a LOT on how you foster independence in them how easy they become how fast.
Here, researchers tracked people over 20 years and found that parents were actually happier after the birth of their second baby. With their first child, life satisfaction dipped for several years, then increased to levels higher than before. But a second child steadily increased happiness.
Child number two or three doesn't make a parent happier. And, for mothers, he found, more children appear to make them less happy—although they are happier than childless women. For dads, additional children had no effect on their well-being in his study.
Parents are slightly happier after their first child arrives, Dr. Angeles says, "but the increase is bigger and can be detected more clearly with two and three children." The happiness gain stops with three, he adds.
Another study confirms that parents with four or more children are the least stressed, especially when compared to parents with three kids. Those fears with the first child get less and less as you go along. Turns out, four is the magic number for less stress and more happiness.
According to a Gallup poll, 4 in 10 Americans say three or more children is the ideal family size.
Since having five or more kids is generally the cutoff point for being considered a “large” family, here are all the ways your parenting will change once you hit that pivotal plus-five milestone.
According to a survey conducted by British parenting website Bounty, two girls are considered the best combination for parents to have a happy and harmonious family life. In their study, they surveyed 2,116 parents who had children aged 16 and under.
These findings may seem surprising if you've never had an 8-year-old, but there are some reasons a child's eighth year can be especially challenging from a parent's perspective. Eight-year-olds can be stubborn, slamming doors and rolling their eyes, in their attempts to establish their independence and individuality.
Many parents find that when their children reach the age of four, their behaviour suddenly becomes extremely challenging, almost out of the blue. At this age, kids are becoming more independent – they're definitely not toddlers anymore, and they can communicate well and manage a lot of self-care.
The years between eight and thirteen can leave you feeling like a parenting beginner all over again. They bring backchat, rudeness, defiance, highly emotive responses (SO many big emotions!), selfishness, “I hate yous”, sulking and door slamming.
Stress. A TODAYMoms.com survey of more that 7,000 mothers found that the least stressful number of kids is four, while the most stressful number is three.
For all Australian women, the total fertility rate was 1.70 births per woman. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, the total fertility rate was 2.34 births per woman.
The number of kids that feels good to you is of course totally up to personal preference, your parenting style, and a lot of other very individual factors. For our lifestyle, I just love having 4 kids around. An Australian study found that parents with 4 or more kids were the happiest.
For a 75% chance of conceiving three children without IVF, the data suggests starting aged 31, and for a 50% chance of having three babies without any fertility treatment, you'd need to start trying at 35. With the assistance of IVF, those ages get pushed back.
The age and temperament of the first two children can be a significant factor. Whether it is because they are more confident in their abilities to cope as a parent or because the third child simply has to fit into the family routine, some parents find going from 2 to 3 kids is easier than the jump from an only child.
The researchers followed a number of families over a 5 year period and monitored their happiness as their families grew in size. The result that they came up with? Having 4 children is the best way to boost your happiness.
Having three children creates such a sense of familial joy that the extra work (mostly) feels worth it: You get three times the love – From the time they are born, your kids love you. Passionately and demonstrably. With three kids, you get that three times over.
A plurality (41%) of moms at the end of their childbearing years now report having two kids, while just 14% have four or more children.
An only child is more content and confident than those with siblings, reports The Observer. Happiness in children declines once there are more siblings in the home, an Understanding Society research study has found.