A Mom Warns Parents About A Big Downside Of The Two-Year Sibling Age Gap

A two-year sibling age gap is enormously common. Once a child gets to be a bit past a year old, walking and talking, and you feel, as a parent, that you’ve found your bearings, it seems like a good time to have another kid. And they can be friends! And hand-me-downs will be easy! Makes sense, right? Well, for one mom with kids in a two-year age gap, she has a word of warning for parents thinking about doing the same.

“My name is Brianna, I'm a mom of two of a two-year age gap and I'm going to tell you what nobody tells you about this age gap,” Brianna Wiscount starts in her video.

“Not a single soul warned me about this and not a single soul has talked about it on here that I've seen. I really feel like this app is just filled with toxic positivity when it comes to this age gap. So I'm going to be a little real with you.”

She continued, “If you're one of the poor souls entering this age gap shortly, just know that every day you will be faced with imminent danger repeatedly. Over and over again. You are going to be stressed the f*ck out. And it's solely because you got to keep your kids alive and you got to keep your toddler from hurting your infant, even though all she wants to do is help, but their form of helping is just dangerous.”

She gives an example of how her older daughter will put blankets over her little brother’s face, with no ill intention, but obviously, this can be very dangerous. Wiscount also admits that her toddler daughter can be a little rough with her younger brother.

“So, then I have to explain to my daughter, you know, like, you got to be gentle. You got to be gentle, right? We do soft touches, gentle touches, and I positively reinforce her when she does do these things. And then 10 seconds will go by and she'll do it again. And I just have to look at her like... We just talked about this. We just talked about this. We talked about gentle touches and you still don't do gentle touches. And then I try to let her help, right?” she said.

She has heard that a helpful way to get siblings to adjust to a new baby is to get them included in on helping with the baby. Wiscount calls B.S. on this, especially with her kid.

“How do you include the toddler when they're just reckless? The other day she was running around with a broomstick, right? I thought she was going to help me sweep because I was sweeping the patio. No, she runs over to my son who's chilling on his little tummy time mat and starts to, like, act like she's going to swing. Swing on him. It's just...it's every day. It's every day. Husband and I are not okay. We're not okay. Somehow our kids are, but we are not,” she says in jest.

Several parents commented on her viral video, commiserating on the challenges of a two-year age gap.

“Almost exactly two years apart. Youngest is 11 weeks. We’re in the TRENCHES,” one mom said.

Another wrote, “I turned around for 30 seconds and my toddler had the baby’s head through the center of a clothes hanger.”

“I’m in the trenches. The hardest part is that they have different needs. I am constantly taking care of someone every second. Oh and then toss in an anxious dog and 3 cats,” one mom echoed.

And for those wondering if waiting an extra year will help with that, one TikTok user commented, “It’s the same with a 3 year age gap. Just letting yall know 😅🤣” Duly noted!