The hardest job in the world?

[Just Me]

There is always someone worse...it does not mean that your situation is not hard to you.

I have struggled a lot with this all through my life and since becoming a mum. I have it so easy compared to lots of people ... why do I deserve what I have when other people have so little? I guess in that regard, I have learned to stop comparing myself. I have learned that I have the strength to get through what I need to, when I need to. I need to be grateful for what I have because of what I have not because of what others do or don't have and when I find it difficult, that's okay too.

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

Being a good mother is a hard job, although not the hardest by a long shot. But being a mother isn't the hardest job in the world. It's about how much you put into it. (And I still disagree with my friends: Liebs isn't a "hard work" child, he's one who loves his mother and enjoys being with her: how is playing Lego hard work?)

I quite like the gig and would love to be a SAHM, make my life even sweeter.

[fionas]

I think it depends and I'm not sure absolutes like "hardest" are helpful. I think in a recent study, a commercial pilot topped the most stressful job. On bad days at home, believe me, I would give flying a plane a whirl.

I definitely agree that before I had kids I was bombarded with the "babies are HARD work," messages - I'm not sure that applied to older children. Anyhow, I actually find babies quite easy and I've had two very different babies in terms of sleep. Sleep deprivation? Meh (to me).

Toddlers on the other hand completely and utterly do my head in. I went to work part-time when DD1 was 12 months old and I found working a professional job a complete walk in the park compared to looking after DD1.

Now that DD1 is 4, she's quite easy to look after in the whole scheme of things. Has her moments but generally she's pretty good company and parenting her has actually become a PLEASURE in the last six months rather than just a hard, hard slog.

DD2 is about to enter toddlerdom and just quietly, I'm dreading it.

Babies and children - fairly easy. Toddlers - nightmare. To me.

And they say never split up until your kids go to school as it all suddenly becomes very easy. Until they become teenagers.