To ask what it's like having 3 kids?

[itwasrebekahvardysaccount]

DS is 4 next month and DD just turned 2.
I'm feeling broody again and I can't help it I've always swore I only want 2 but here I am again.

OH isn't against it but isn't for it either as we will need a bigger car and the financial side of it.

Am I bonkers? What is it like having 3 kids close in age.

[BearSoFair]

We had a bigger age difference, 7 years between DS1 and DD then just under 2 years between DD and DS2. I don't think I could have coped if DS1 hadn't already been at school, there were plenty of times I really struggled just with toddler DD and baby DS2 to deal with!

[honkytonkheroe]

I love having three but they are not close together. In fact now they are 26, 18 and nearly 10. Why not wait a while if you think you want a third and not have them close together. All mine get on brilliantly so age gaps can work.

[BearSoFair]

Should say, as they've gotten older it's mostly been great, they generally all get along well and very rarely have any major arguments or drama we have to step in and sort out. They're 18, 13, and 11 now.

[BearSoFair]

Bloody hell I messed up the numbers in my first post, FIVE years between DS1 and DD not 7 It's been one of those days...

[Myshinynewname]

It's chaos! I love them all but I'd be lying if I recommended it!

[Puffinhead]

Don’t forget the more children you have the more people there are to argue with! There’s always some drama going on in our house.

I feel very fortunate that my DC are healthy but they taken their toll on my mental health (it’s not their fault). My DH does contribute in the house etc but I am always the default parent and that can be tiring mentally. Teenage years are particularly exhausting!

[Puffinhead]

I also found going from 1-2 kids so much harder than 2-3.

[WinWinnieTheWay]

I think that 3 was the most idyllic. One little hand on either side of the pushchair on the way to school. School is key, if you have two in say Nursery and Year 1, having the day to dedicate to just the baby and chores is manageable.

[Franticbutterfly]

I think it's great. My third child was a surprise and she's the light of my life. I was so worried that having another girl would the be same as the two previous times, but she's nothing like the other two (who I obviously love very much, but aren't very interested in hanging out with Mummy). If you feel you want a third go for it..best thing that ever happened to me.

[Itisbetter]

My third turned out to be twins so we went from two to four.

[underneaththeash]

I love having three.

[itwasrebekahvardysaccount]

Ah I can't decide I graduate next year so I should be focusing on my career but how bad can another baby be. I think I will try and hold out as long as I can.

[goodbyestranger]

I have eight DC and found the jump from two to three the hardest by a very long way (the third DD was born two and half years after the first, so three pregnancies close together had probably taken a bit of a toll).

[AverageM1ss]

Chaotic, noisy, messy, expensive. So many things are set up for families of four max - hotel rooms, family tickets for things. It's hard work, and not a situation I thought I'd find myself in. There are two and a half years between mine and now they're all at school it's becoming easier.

DC2 and DC3 are twins, so I never planned it this way. I wouldn't change it obviously, they're all fabulous and I absolutely adore them. Would I have wanted a third if my second pregnancy had just been one? Probably not. Almost certainly not. And of course, please remember that number 3 could turn out to be number 3 and 4!

[Madwomanuptheroad]

I an at the other end....5 kids, thee kids adults (just), one teenager, one preteen.
Three close together means three teenagers around the same time......
Get the Gin ready!!!!

[frugalkitty]

I love having three although the world is geared up for families of four which can be inconvenient/expensive. I had three under five but with one girl in the middle of two boys it worked out really well as being the only girl offset the middle child syndrome and the boys have shared a room easily as the youngest is always asleep before the eldest goes up. It was hard work at times when they were little as my DH works away, and it was chaotic when every night one or more had clubs etc but I always wanted three so I wouldn't change a thing.

[DipSwimSwoosh]

It's wonderful.
Mine are 6, 4 and 2.
They play the same games and enjoy the same things. They play for hours.
Of course transitions take longer - shoes, teeth, bedtime etc. But the in between bits are easier as they entertain each other.
There is a lot of laughter. Noise and mess too, but you'd have that with 2.
Of course it's expensive, but also good value. My littlest is in a winter coat that has been worn every year for about 5 years. And the toys get played with every day for years. Things like the toddler bed for example, or the buggy. We bought once but used them.
Holidays I've found completely uncomplicated. We just book Eurocamp, caravans or self catering.
Lockdown was good as they had each other, and we were busy.
It's great.

[Deadringer]

I have 5 and love having a big family, but i found the jump from 2 to 3 the most difficult, physically, financially and emotionally.

[3kidsareenough]

My username probably is a good indication I love having 3 Dds they are great company for each other and when we're all together I love it. But it has been tough too. Me & DH have had to take career breaks and Dh actually gave up his job when I returned to work after my career break after DD3 was born. But we're in a good place now. Age ranges are 15,12, & 7. Sometimes I actually think it would have been nice to have had a 4th but sadly that wasn't to be. But yeah...3 kids are definitely enough, for us

[Frannibananni]

There is always one fighting with another or one being left out. I wonder if we should have had 4. (Too late now)
Holidays are always much more expensive when you have more than the traditional 2A+2C.

[Tillygetsit]

Bloody hard work but also great fun. I wouldn't send any of mine back but I'd love a lot more sleep and some peace occasionally!

[Jericoo]

As someone who has two siblings - don't have 3. My parents never had enough attention for all of us, could never keep up with caring for us and seemed to resent our pure existence (and financial burden) as they were too overwhelmed. For your kids' sake stick with 2.

[Anordinarymum]

I had three children in four years. When the oldest started state nursery the youngest was twelve days old. It was tough at first but not for long as the baby just fitted in and they all sort of brought each other up. The baby followed his brother and sister everywhere and I found having three was easier than having two.

They are all different in nature and have different talents, and they all have different relationships with one another but they are all funny and wonderful and selfish and needy and kind to their mum in equal measure. I would not have it any other way.

Go for it :)

[CloudyVanilla]

@Jericoo I say this with kindness and forgive me if I am wrong, but it sounds I your situation like the problem was your parents and not the number of DC. If they seemed to resent you for even existing I doubt it would have been dramatically different between having two children or three :(

[PoorMansPaulaRadcliffe]

I should add that I've found it hard and there are significant gaps between mine: nearly 14; just 7; and 3. Dad is very present in their lives but we live with my mum and I work a number of different jobs to keep going.
There's no way I could have had them, like, boom boom boom (although there was no chance of that given that not one was what you'd called 'planned'). My friend has three boys, 5; 2; 1. Bitch be crazy.