For families with multiple kids, a two-year age gap in between them is super common—and it makes sense if you think about it. The first child gets walking and talking, and the parents get their bearings a bit, figure out this whole parenthood thing, and decide to have another. That seems logical! Well, in a hilarious, viral TikTok video, one mom is pointing out the inherent danger we’re all overlooking about two-year age gaps.
“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,” Brianna Wiscount says in her video. “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’ve got to keep your kids alive and you’ve 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.”
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One example she points to is how her toddler constantly tries to put blankets over her infants head, which might seem helpful but is actually super dangerous. She also admits that her toddler can be pretty rough with the new baby.
“So, then I have to explain to my daughter, you know, like, you’ve got to be gentle,” she says. “You’ve 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 when it comes to letting the toddler “help?” Wiscount says that’s a whole other can of worms.
“How do you include the toddler when they’re just reckless?” she asks. “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 on him. It’s just…it’s every day. It’s every day. Husband and I are not OK. We’re not OK. Somehow our kids are, but we are not.”
RelatedDear Son: You didn’t ask to be a big brother but I’m so glad you are: https://www.mother.ly/life/motherly-stories/older-brother-siblings-essay/
In the comments, tons of parents weighed in to agree with Wiscount’s hilarious take.
“Almost exactly two years apart. Youngest is 11 weeks. We’re in the TRENCHES,” one mom commented.
Another added, “I turned around for 30 seconds and my toddler had the baby’s head through the center of a clothes hanger.”
And in case you’re thinking, “I’ll just wait a little longer for that second baby,” another mom commented, “It’s the same with a 3-year age gap. Just letting yall know.” Good luck out there.