Moms Happiest When Baby is 6 Months Old

A new study of more than 60,000 Norwegian moms of small children found that life satisfaction increases right after birth, peaking at 6 months. However, as the baby gets older happiness decreases, hitting a low when the child is 3 years old.

Plus: 13 Ways Your Baby Says “I Love You”

Although it’s hard to compare this with American moms, who enjoy fewer family benefits than Norwegians do, this rings true to me. At around 6 months, you’ve got the baby thing down (more or less), and are hopefully getting longer stretches of sleep. The baby isn’t crawling yet, so you can actually still cook dinner or check Facebook without worrying Junior’s splashing in the toilet.  At 3 years old, kids are much more interactive, and a unique personality is emerging. But backtalk and whining jockey with tantrums for most annoying kid behavior.

Plus: Toddler Discipline Tricks

Which age is your favorite? Your least favorite?