My favorite age to parent (so far) has been 1 to 2 years old. My oldest is 3 and my littlest is about to turn one. As we approach his first birthday, I’m being reminded of all of the reasons why I love this age. From my experience, once you cross the one-year mark a few things get easier. It’s the post-infant but pre-terrible two’s era. Of course, all kids are different but I’ve found this to be the sweetest age. 

5 reasons why one-year-olds are my favorite

Longer stretches of sleep 

There are so many sleep regressions in the first year it’s hard to get consistent sleep. I’ve found with both of my kids, that once they hit one year, the stretches become longer and they are sleeping through the night more frequently. More sleep has made this stage more restful and enjoyable. 

Their personalities start to shine through 

At one year old, their personalities start to develop. They are laughing, waving, being silly, and even start saying their first words. It’s fun to watch them become these tiny, little independent humans. My little guy is saying mama, dada, and hot. There are many fun milestones to celebrate including the first steps. 

Less nursing 

At one, I began weaning both of my kids off nursing. At a minimum, they can go longer stretches without milk because they are consuming some solids. There are many benefits to continuing nursing past 1 year but at this point, I am ready to throw in the towel. I feel lucky to have the ability to nurse but it can also be stressful when you are the only person who can feed your child (aside from pumping). 

Easier nap schedule 

I like structure and live by the nap schedule. With both of my children, I’ve always worked around it. My first was ready to drop down to one nap at around 13 months old. I can tell that my 1-year-old is ready to drop his second nap very soon. His evening wake window is becoming very long. It’s nice to have the nap breaks but it’s also more challenging to leave the house with two naps. I’m looking forward to being able to do more activities with both of them together. 

They are easy to entertain

At this age, they are still easy to entertain. You can give them pots and pans, and they will have fun. Everything is new and exciting including mundane kitchen utensils. It’s fun to watch their eyes light up when you hand them a wooden spoon. 

Takeaways: My Favorite Age to Parent (So Far)

All stages have their fun parts but I’ve found age 1 to be exceptionally fun. It feels like the end of the newborn/baby phase which is cute but tiring with its multiple sleep regressions, and teething. They are extra cute when they say their first words, wave, laugh uncontrollably, or wobble through their first steps.

At a minimum, nursing becomes less frequent as they begin eating more solids. The nap schedules consolidate making it easier to go out and do things as a family. Lastly, they are easily amused by everything which is honestly my favorite part. Hand them a wooden spoon and you bought yourself at least 15 minutes.

I’m sure there are many fun moments to come but right now I’m savoring year 1 for the second time.