to wonder how people with 4+ kids function on a daily basis

[JessKM]

My niece slept last night, shes 5 years old. Ive 'coped' with three children for a while and thought well, her mums ill, one more we'll hardly notice her!!!!!
BOY WAS I WRONG!
At 9am we decided to go swimming...........its 11.47, my son has lost his goggles, my DD1 is running around like a loonie and DD2 and Niece are fast asleep on the rug....neither of whom normally take naps but since it took us two hours to manage a breakfast.................

My head may explode....How do you supermums do it?

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Fuzzy that's what we do too; we also have a sock box they ahve to sorty as sorting that many boy's socks is just OTT imo.

yes i have a sock box, or rather two, old pampers boxes and all the socks go in them and the boys pair them up, every so often i throw the odd ones out and buy new ones!

the ONLY socks that always stay in pairs or the babies, but hers are the only 'girly' socks and they are soo tiny and cute that i actually enjoy pairing them up

I use indelible ink and mark the first letter of their name onto each label of t-shirts, trousers, ends of socks, pants etc. it makes sorting faster and easier, DH will also help if it's all labelled and made easier for him

I have no idea. I had 5 children here yesterday (2 of my own) and I felt like my head was going to explode. And that was only for 4 hours

On a seperate note - I really want one of those clothes driers - do you think the ceiling in a new build would hold one?

i would like a ceiling dryer too, but dp is tall and i dont think our ceilings are high enough.

i would think most would hold them as long as you made sure it was fixed into a ceiling/floor joist and not just the plasterboard?

i quite often have extra kids round and tbh it doesnt make too much difference!

Oh I like this thread! Our four are 9, 7, and 3 yr old DTs. It can be challenging but I love having them all and wouldn't change it for the world. DTs will go to playgroup in the mornings from September so I won't know myself and have grand plans for spring cleaning (which, let's be honest, probably won't happen!). Mealtimes can be very hectic - I only get to sit down with them at dinner - breakfast and lunch I spend on my feet fetching and carrying!! Washing I just keep ticking over - I hate full washing or ironing baskets - I usually iron each night whilst DH baths DTs. I depend on my dryer though (electricity bill is subject of another thread!). And I'm pretty pedantic about routines - DTs still take a short nap in the afternoons which gives me an hour of 'me' or pottering time, I try to prepare dinner in the mornings and I clean, change beds and bake (that's the fun one!) on specific days. Our main challenge is bedtimes - I envy those of you who have everyone in bed by 7.30 - wow! At a push we can have them up by 8/8.30 but we'll have to get better at it with school starting again.

'every so often i throw the odd ones out and buy new ones!'
snap!

As 3 / 4 boys have same initial labelling for home use a waste of time (can't even do middle with ds1 / ds4 now I come to think of it!), it's very lucky they all have different school uniforms and I ahve systems where they weear distinct pants etc- eg one wears jersey boxers, another cotton. DS3 wears a great many pink tops as he adores pink and it both helps me find what is his and him identify his own clothes for independence skills,

the odler two are exactly the same size despite being 13 months apart so if their clothes get mixed well

Peachy you could give them all a number

Ooh there are some really good ideas on here that I'm going to pinch :)

my middle two are similar in size with regards to pants, socks and tops and they share a room so the clothes are all kept in the same place and they just get what they want out to wear.

ds4 and ds1 are easy to sort and so are dd's and as for ironing! the only things that get ironed in my house are dd's little dresses

the current issue i have is that ds2 has similar size feet to me and keeps nabbing MY socks, i may have to start wearing outrageously pink and flowery ones and then maybe he wont do that?!

ds1' used to nick them but his feet are now bigger than mine so he cant

and with regards to giving them a number, i do! when out i reguarly do a count, esp before leaving anywhere and i am just like 1,2,3,4 and baby!

millie i find it easier to get them all in bed when i am on my own the nights that dp is home they are invariably up later, partly as dp works long hours and wants to spend time with them, i on the other hand cant wait for bedtime!

My 2DS's share pants, socks, t shirts etc although they are starting to show different tastes and already don't share trousers (DS1 likes chinos DS2 likes jeans) but they are only 16 months apart DS1 small DS2 tall so are roughly the same size.

We have a line in the utility that I use as the heat from the tumble dryer helps dry the clothes on it.

The issue I have is DD10 keeps passing her old clothes to DD4 and DD4 thinks she can wear them straight away (doesn't understand the height difference) so comes down dressed in rather baggy clothes and cries when I tell her to change :(

4madboys I am the same easier to get them to bed when DH is away, it is a military operation when he is away for 6 months he comes home and has missed everyone and it all goes to pot

I met a family recently (friend's in-laws).

They have seven children, and the mother is blind (very rare genetic disorder).

that was impressive.

I have no idea!

It wouldn't be the children themselves that would send me over the edge I don't think, it would be all the added washing, shopping and housework. I just don't understand how it would fit into the day! Not to mention that I'd have to retrain into a better paid career just to afford a house big enough to put them all in!!

All these descriptions of how to cope with washing etc leave me open mouthed in awe.

But for me, more than two kids and being a mum would start to feel more like another job than a life. I couldn't cope with coming home from work to even more chaos than I left behind in the classroom.

Two is way more than enough for me.

manic I am a SAHM haven't worked since DC1 was born but with DC4 about to start school am thinking of going back to work for a rest . I couldn't cope with DCs and working to be honest, just glad DH earns enough for me to be a SAHM although with school fees and food getting more expensive I think I need to start seriously looking for a job now

There was a time when all 5 lived here that I'd do on average 5 industrial loads per day (9kg machine). On some occasions I did as much as 8 or 9 loads.
Not cos I'm a clean freak but simply cos 2 youngest were both incontinent and every morning (and often during the night too) would involve massive clean up operations, not quite knowing where to tread in the bedrooms...
Now only one incontinent (aged nearly 13) so still do about 3 9kg lloads per day, depends how much bedding he manages tow et through, sometimes 3 times a night= 3 lots plus 3 quilts to be washed.
In winter my house is more like a chinese laundry and my electric bill is through the roof!
But it's easier than it used to be! Below is a poem which I did recently put on the SEN page about the washing....(wrote it a few years ago)

Washing in the basket, washing on the line,
Washing in the dryer, washing all the time.
More in the machine and washing on the floor,
Washing on the radiators,
I CAN?T TAKE ANY MORE!
And when the day is over and
I think I?ve done it all,
I turn away, I don?t look back ?cos
THE WASHING BASKETS FULL!!!

I don't work either, although since ds3 was born (when I gave it up) I have always studied- first my degree FT and then the part time MA I have to finish this year. I am classed as a carer now though due to the boy's SN. next eyar I will either get a PT job or become self employed. That is when ds4 starts school and I am looking forward to it.

Only one of mine is still in nappies thank goodness, ds3 became dry at 6, but I still do about 3 - 4 loads a day as they can easily get through several outfits just by the way they eat etc. Don't really iron and use my tumble drier more than i'd like, but not as much as I used to- trying to line dry more now.

big age gaps between my 4, its a big help!

So many of this posts sound like my house. I don't think anyone with 4plus dc will claim to be a supermum, I think you just learn to live with chaos
I have 4 ds, 9,7,5,3 and 1 dd 18mths. It is a very noisy house.
I work 2.5 days teaching at the dc's school which is so handy, and also it keeps me sane. On Mondays and Tuesdays if I get everyone fed, washed and homeworks done then thats a job done. Everything else has to wait untill later in the week when I'm off. I have to write everything down and some days when I am running from football to piano to swimming it feels like I live in the car. But I love having 5, they always have company and at xmas it is so much fun. It really does take dh and I both to be at full pelt every day until they are in bed. In the summer we are both off for 2 months which is bliss, we are in relax mode and routine does not exist.I go out to a craft class 1 night a week, and Sat mornings are my coffee meet up time, I think its so important to make sure I get out regularly.
Washing is constant. I buy as many socks, uniforms etc as it takes so I am never stuck for changes.

WOW u may not think it,but many of you are supermums!

SOOOOOO, we just been for our weekly shop, we took two trolleys so we could pin all the little ones down haha. We added a whiteboard and some flexitubs to our trolleys! £3 each...its time for the oldest to sort their own clothes!

I only work part time and Im blessed enough to be able to take DD2 with me, otherwise on our budgets we would struggle big time! (oldest two are in school). Ive always wanted another until today lol but now im going to go order birth control in bulk! Not til theyre in secondary school at least!!!!!!!!!

unpa1d - I love the poem, ur gifted.

Jess - just make sure you name the tubs otherwise they will claim it is not their washing

I have just proved I am not a supermum by loosing it over how to fit 6 bikes into a bike shed made for 4, threatened to throw all bikes away, send DH (who won't let the bikes in the garage) to live elsewhere and ended up with 4 bikes in bike shed and 2 in the garage having ordered another bike shed online

Bedtime may be early in this house tonight mummy need

Age 11,10 yr old twins, 9, 6, 4, 3 and 2. I have had this age range for a week. It's quite chaotic but I love it! Only have two of my own, but all the cousins have got together for the holidays and it's brilliant! I find more easier to be honest!

whenigetto3 and 4madboys ... Me too re having them in bed earlier when DH isn't around - I'm like a woman possessed determined to have some evening of my own! Got DTs to bed by 7.50pm tonight .... just so as I'd see Eastenders! Am also a SAHM - didn't return to work following my career break - really admire those with large families who manage to fit work in! . That aside, it simply wouldn't pay me to work just now - I was part-time which was perfect but my salary wouldn't cover daycare costs for DTs. Oh God, and imagine trying to get 4 children in t 3pm, home works done and dinner on the table by 5.30 as well as giving DTs some time. No, I'd be on the wine by 3.15

Loving all these laundry ideas though, strangely enough, I enjoy sorting the laundry and putting my ironing away