Being a parent means you’re never off-duty while you make sure your kids are healthy and happy. But being a parent is also exhausting.

When your kids are young, you’ve got to deal with dirty diapers, a continually messed up house and temper tantrums over seemingly inconsequential things. That's on top of the daily adventures with kids that are dressing them, feeding them and brushing their teeth, simple tasks that can make even the most patient people ask, "Why did I ever have children?!"

When your kids become teens you’ve got to deal with mood swings, the fact they don’t want you around, competing for their attention with smartphones (and also continually messing up the house -- that doesn't change, right?). Unlike toddlers, though, teens have a sense of awareness, so it's not as easy to dismiss their surly attitudes, once again putting your patience to the test.

It’s been said that when kids are toddlers they wear you out physically and when they get older they drain you emotionally. While that may be debatable, there's no denying the fact that whatever the age, kids are a lot of work.

And while you're bound to have moments when you want to pull the hair out of your head, there is a joy in raising children that every parent knows and wouldn't trade for a good night's sleep or a child who consistently cleans up his room.

So, which is tougher – a teen or a toddler?

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