4 Reasons why 7 years is a great age span between children

1. Older Sibling can do some things for herself.
2. Older Sibling can fit into smaller places than Mom and Dad
3. Younger Sibling has someone to look up to
4. Older Sibling can do things that are typically for “little kids” under the guise that it is for Younger Sibling

And 1 reason why it’s not

1. Younger siblings try to do everything their older siblings do, even when it is dangerous

Before it really mattered, I always thought I wanted to have my kids close together in age. Then it started to matter and I was perfectly happy with having just one child. I felt like we were figuring life out and we were sailing pretty smoothly. Eventually, I found my thoughts wandering into ways to convince myself that we were good to go with just 1 child. I think God was trying to nudge me to say that we weren’t finished, but it took me a little while to catch the memo. We struggled with infertility with our first child, and I did not have the energy to go through that struggle again. We agreed that we would give it 1 year, and if that did not work, we would rest well with our one sweet girl. In God’s perfect timing, we found that we were going to have a second girl, which meant they would be born 6 years and 9 months apart. It was a longer span than I thought I had wanted, but now that I am living it, it is truly perfect. Here’s why:

1. My Big Love is able to do a lot of things for herself, which can be very helpful. She can reach things and get things. She can entertain herself and entertain the Little Love. I don’t want her to have to be totally independent, and I make sure to do things with her so she isn’t governing her whole life on her own…but it is really nice that she is capable of doing some things on her own. 
2. One word – Playgrounds. Kids love them, but as a mama of a little, they are kind of terrifying. My Little Love is not the most graceful, and she doesn’t realize that she can’t do all of the things that the big kids can do. She wants to explore all of the small climbing holes and hop across all of the rickety bridges. Enter: Big Love. She can fit in small places. She can hold her hand across the bridges. She can help her down the slides. It is amazing. 
3. When the older kid is a top notch human (which mine is), it makes for a good role model. Aside from a little backtalk here or there, my Big Love is just so good. She strives to do the right thing in everything she does. She is learning to love the Lord with all her heart and asks the most thought provoking questions. She has a kind heart and is empathetic to every creature on earth. I am so thankful that Little Love can look to her for guidance in all of the things. 
4. Kids in grades 2-5 are stuck in between being a little kid and a teenager. When middle school hits, they basically believe they are teenagers, but younger kids are able to get away with more childish things. Sadly, the second someone identifies something as babyish, all fun is thrown out the window and a once-favorite toy becomes uncool and thrown to the wayside. The magic, however, happens when a big kid is playing with a toy for their little kid’s sake. In my house, we have just set up the Little People Barbie Dreamhouse that Little Love got for Christmas. Big Love definitely plays with it just as much as her baby sister. She dug out the Little People Barbie car and showed her sister how to play with it. It is hours of entertainment for everyone. I love the innocence that comes from imaginative play, and it brings me so much joy to see my Big Love enjoying something so simple. 

And one reason it isn’t…

It’s not all fun and games to have an age gap. As I’m sure you can imagine, little kids love to imitate their big kids, and sometimes that can be problematic. Big Love is practicing headstands these days, but when Little Love and her tiny neck get upside down, it makes this mama pretty nervous. She is always watching her big sister and tries to do everything she does. Sometimes it turns out fine, and other times I find myself leaping across the kitchen to grab things out of her hands. You will be big one day, Little Love. For now, slow down and be little.