Age in months? When to use years?

Mrs. K in TX · July 2010

At what point do you stop referring to your child's age in months? I would think that once the person you're speaking to has to start dividing in their head to figure it out, you should start just using years. I think that 2 years is probably a good time to start doing that.

Someone told me her daughter was 27 months old. Now, yes, quick division tells me that's just over 2 years, but why wouldn't you just say she's 2 years old? When she's 30 months, you can then say she's 2 1/2 years old.

What do y'all think?

Just for fun, I found this website, which says I'm 342 months old. How about you?

jamiemsmith · July 2010

It seems like the 2 yr mark is the right time to make that transition, if not at 1.5 yrs. LOL this reminds me of Grown Ups when she says her son is 48 months old!!

I'm 299.4 months old

memelou10 · July 2010

I stopped when she turned 2. but I have to tell people that she just turned 2 because she is soooo little when people hear she is 2 then they start making comments on how little she is. My baby may be a whoppin 22 lbs. but she can count, say her alphabets, and knows her colors!!!

Mrs. K in TX · July 2010

Thanks! I just thought it was a little ridiculous that she was using months after 2 years. I just told my husband, and his response was "Really? You mean she's 2?"

LadyDelilah · July 2010

I say two for DN unless I am talking to a Dr in which case I say shes 23mo.

HA! I am 316mo.

hewinked · July 2010

I still refer to DD in months, but I'll stop when she turns 2. I asked someone how old their kiddo was a few weeks ago, and she said 1. I kept wondering how many months the kid was. I guess I was curious because he seemed to be around DD's age.

momofbeans · July 2010

For sure at 2yrs old. I think you can say, "just turned to" or "2 1/2" or "almost 3." But to do in months pass 24months is a little absurd. I still use months with DD, she's almost 16months.

CelticWife · July 2010

It depends on who I am talking to. For most men, and for older people or non parents, I have rounded DS's age since he turned a year. (When people ask, I generally say that he is just over a year and a half.)

With other moms, or with family, I say his age of 20 months. I am not sure when I will stop. Probably when he hits 2?

PS: I am 332.6 months old. lol

plumerialost · July 2010

I stopped at 2. I think most Dr offices kinda stop the months at 2 as well, at least on base they do.

My DD is tall for her age so I would have to say she's 2 1/2 or almost 3 when people start saying how big she is. Doesn't matter to me, she's healthy and that's all that matters to me.

LeggyNic · July 2010

CelticWife:

It depends on who I am talking to. For most men, and for older people or non parents, I have rounded DS's age since he turned a year. (When people ask, I generally say that he is just over a year and a half.)

With other moms, or with family, I say his age of 20 months. I am not sure when I will stop. Probably when he hits 2?

This. With non-mom friends/family I've started saying, "She'll be 2 in October." She acts more like a 2yo and is the size of a 3yo.

LadyDelilah · July 2010

On a related yet un related note I think its a little rediculous when people say things like "Oh your DD/DS is so (insert comment here big, small, light dark, purple, checkered ect.) are you worried about that?"

I remember when my kid brother was born he was 28in and 11lbs4oz he was a BIG boy (hes now 6'5) and some woman in the grocery store yelled at my mom for having him still on a bottle "Thats absurd that a THREE year old is on a bottle" he was 10 mo old...

Sorry mini mid post vent over... that just irks me when people do that to moms...

Smores730 · July 2010

I stopped around 22 months and just started saying "almost 2". I plan to say "just turned 2" or as it nears "almost 2.5".

NewFamily09 · July 2010

Oh don't get me started on this. I think it is so silly when someone refers to their child in strange increments of time. Like one time I met a woman who told me her daughter was 14 weeks old. I completely just made up these guidelines myself, but here's how I think it should go:

Stop counting your baby in days when he hits 2 weeks

Stop counting your baby in weeks when he hits 2 months

Stop counting your baby in months when he hits 2 years

And I think it's CRAZY when people think that 4 weeks = 1 month and they tell people their child is just turned 4 months because she just turned 16 weeks. Months are longer than 4 weeks, they are more like 4 1/2 usually.

mavs_girl07 · July 2010

I still use months with dd, but I'll start using years at 2. There's just such a huge difference between a 13month old and a 21 month old, I can't imagine calling them both "1". But at 2 it starts to even out more and years just make more sense.

Mama_SAS · July 2010

DaniLorello:

I remember when my kid brother was born he was 28in and 11lbs4oz he was a BIG boy (hes now 6'5) and some woman in the grocery store yelled at my mom for having him still on a bottle "Thats absurd that a THREE year old is on a bottle" he was 10 mo old...

DS always looked older than he is. When he was 18 months old we were waiting in line for the Big Red Car ride and DS was throwing a fit because he wanted on RIGHT NOW. It was his first time waiting in line so he had to learn to wait and it will be his turn soon.

Someone behind me made a comment like "If my 3-year-old threw a fit like that I wouldn't let him ride." I turned and said, "If he's still throwing fits like this in 2 years I won't let him ride, but since he's only 18 months I'm going to let him learn how waiting in line works without punishing him."

He's nearly 4 now and has been very good at waiting in line for the past couple of years.

SBear12 · July 2010

Most of the time now, I say "she'll be 2 in October". After this birthday, I'll just say 2 or 2.5 or 3, unless I'm talking to somebody who wants to know the specifics (like a doctor or someone with a similar-aged kid).

So depends on who you're talking to, but I think 2 is a good stopping point.

Kellina · July 2010

I'd say 2 years or close to it! I still say DS's age in months. As in "he's almost 19 months"

Carilyn · July 2010

I agree with 2 being a good cutoff. After that, with DS, I'd say "he turned two in September" until he was 28mos, then "he's two and a half" until about 32months, and now I say "he'll be three in September".

AgrippaRidesAgain · July 2010

I started when DS turned 2. Some things are still written in months up until age 3 though, so I keep track of DS's "month age" for signing up for classes and such.

gdssofshdws · July 2010

AAAHHH!! I am 387.9months old. Wow. Now I feel old. Thanks.

I think two is a decent age to stop the whole month thing. Maybe a bit sooner. After 1.5 there isn't really that much difference between the months.

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Age in months? When to use years?

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