'It's brutal': Mum shares the hard truths about a two-year age gap between kids

"I'm gonna tell you what no one else will tell you," the mum begins in a super-relatable viral clip.

What's the first question you get asked after you have your first child? It's not their name, weight, or even how you are doing. It's...

When are you having a second?

If you were to scroll through Instagram and TikTok, you would think "two years" is the magic number. It seems logical - they can be friends (for five minutes of the day), and hand-me-downs will be easy.

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"What nobody tells you"

That might work for some, but not so much for one mum. She's warning all the other parents before they add to their clan.

“My name is Brianna, I'm a mum of two with 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 [TikTok] 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 then 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. The mum of two also admits that her toddler daughter can be a little rough with her younger brother.

"So, I have to explain to my daughter, 'You've got to be gentle. 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."

One mum tells the truth about the two year age gap. Source: TikTok/supplied

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"It's a nightmare"

As a mother of three boys, I can attest she's not wrong. There was a gap of two years and three months between my first two. 

One danger I had to navigate when I brought home my second was watching as Cooper would use his baby brother's stomach to launch himself off the floor multiple times a day. I thought waiting five years to welcome my third could avoid this, but no. My then-five- and seven-year-olds couldn't help themselves. 

As Brianna goes on, she recalls the importance of including the toddler with their new sibling, which she says is excellent in theory but a nightmare in practice. 

“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 would 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 acting like she's going to swing. Swing on him."

"We're in the trenches"

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

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

Another admitted, “I turned around for 30 seconds, and my toddler had the baby’s head through the centre 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 three cats,” this mum echoed.

And for those wondering if waiting an extra year will help with that, a viewer, “It’s the same with a 3-year age gap. Just letting y'all know.” 

Originally published as 'It's brutal': Mum shares the hard truths about a two-year age gap between kids