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

sahm mum here, i cant work because of dp's job and the shifts he does, but tbh i wouldnt want to at the moment and cant envisage doing so until all the kids are at school and then only part time, tho in the future we may role reverse and dp be the sahparent.

millie, if you enjoy sorting laundry and putting it away so much you can always come and do mine?!!

I send my laundry out sometimes-when there is a full basket and I am on my 5th load of the week, DH will get 2 Ikea bags, fill them, drop to Launderette, pick them up. 4 loads £15. It may be cheaper than tumble drying and washing at home. It is his contribution to the housework! I sometimes slip a few extra loads in. If he doesn't help in the house, he needs to pay for someone else.

I only have2 under 2, but I would like 4. But since Irun round like headless chicken all day already, maybe I can't cope.

I have 4 aged 14, 11, 10 and 3. I do one or two loads of laundry every day. I put 2 bars across the airing cupboard and hang the we washing on hangers in there. I have a little oil filled heater in there which I turn on over night (have economy 7, so it's cheaper then) to dry everything. I use the tumble dryer if the weather is wet to dry towels and sheets.

I don't get my kids to do too many chores. I will ask them to fetch something for me from upstairs or to tidy up their stuff and put their dirty clothes in the laundry basket, but then I would expect these things even if I only had one child.

I vacuum every day, and don't find keeping up with the housework too hard. What is difficult is decorating/gardening/DIY when you have small children. My youngest starts pre school soon and I intend to use the time to get lots of work done on the house.

I am a sahm - would really struggle if i had to woh. Would be exhausted.

Bringme sure you would cope, I felt like that with 2 then with 3 and still do with 4 but I am a headless chicken is what I decided
Also do remember the older they get the easier it gets.
Millie you can come do my laundry to if you want, just had words with the youngest (4) as she has managed to wear 4 different t shirts and 3 pairs of shorts today, none are that dirty that they needed changing right then but all now need washing. With all 4 at home I didn't actually notice she had changed until she brought her laundry tub down before bed
Well laundry now done, dishwasher on, fridge cleaned (due to DS7 pouring milk all over it earlier) and I am now drinking
Another day done, roll on tomorrows chaos

WHenIget - between an 11 year old boy and a 6 year old girl I should hope their wont be too much confusion over washing....LOL. BUt then again, nothing would suprise me anymore!

Jess - could be interesting if they do though

I have 4- 7, 5, 4, 1.5... The domestic stuff isn't too bad but the noise and shouting is dreadful. I long for an intercom from kitchen to the top of the stairs.

And clothes labelling esp. socks needs improving!

I have 4- 7, 5, 4, 1.5... The domestic stuff isn't too bad but the noise and shouting is dreadful. I long for an intercom from kitchen to the top of the stairs.

And clothes labelling esp. socks needs improving!

My friend has 7 from 0-11 - she is amazing. They all just get on with it, she has boundaries, responsibilities and a no nonsense but very loving approach. The bigger help with littler, they all just chug along. I couldn;t and wouldn't want to do it.

I have just bought everybody different coloured socks. I know this is a little thing but it has turned out to be very helpful in the whole laundry sorting thing. I have learned not to care if the boys wear each others pants by mistake - not the end of the world is it?

We have 4 dd's (9,6,3,2) and I think being firm but fair, a fairly rigid routine (on school days at least) and picking your battles and it's as easy as parenting ever gets!

I have 5 (12, 9, 6, 5, 13months) and it's just a matter of having to cope. 2 I inherited all of a sudden whilst pg with dd2 (full time step kids, no contact with waster of a bio mum- a whole nother thread..). Got to say, I have nearly lost the plot on many an occasion but so far have come out the other side....

5gomad picking your battles is the most important thing I have learnt with my 4. Who cares if the youngest is wearing a pink t shirt with purple shorts and brown tights as long as you get to school on time

Exactly and I personally couldn't give a hoot where they sleep as long as they are asleep by 7.30 so that I can relax in peace!!

What a fab poem!! My house is like that and i only have 2. I used to fondly imagine myself as a Maria Von Trapp at the head of a long line of immaculate, talented beautifully presented children who behaved impeccably.

I have one crabbit glowering tweenie and one Zebedee (from Magic Roundabout, boing boing) who may or may not be wearing coordinated outfits, but at least they will be clean.

In my defence I work full time too.

Theres a 5 year gap with mine but they spend a lot of time trying to kill each other very loudly playing together. I do think another one would send me loopy. Hats off to you all.

Not sure. Them getting older helps. All at the same school helps. Them getting along with each other and not fighting for the X-Box helps. Them not being ill helps. Wine definitely helps. Ample space and money would have helped the most.

I had eight in less than 12 years (though frontloaded), eldest now 21.

8 wow!

8!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jess faints

Function? I didn't know I was supposed to function!

I have 4, aged 14, 13, 12 and 7. Apart from a period when number 4 was little (about 2 years I think) I've always worked/studied etc.

My house isn't too messy, but it's not a show home. I do two loads of washing a day to keep on top of that and as others have said I generally cope with wine and gin. Regarding being organised: on school/work mornings I get up at half fiveish in order to get everything done before I take DS2 to school and really it's a case of just doing stuff as soon as it needs to really. So washing up/drying up as soon as dinner is over, wiping down the bathroom every morning etc that kind of thing so that 'stuff' doesn't build up.

For the past 5 weeks I've essentially been a 'single parent' whilst my partner was caring for his mum - that was really tough TBH. So I guess really I cope by having a very supportive and helpful other half Don't ever tell him I said that though

My favouritest MNer is pg with no 8 and she is hands down the best Mum I know. She puts me and my one child to utter shame. And her dh is in the military so has sodded off periodically and still she manages better than I do. I'm only friends with her in the hope some of it will rub off. No luck so far.

Routine. Which goes to pot in the summer hols. Which means I don't cope. . I have 4, DD 13.5yo, DS1 9.4yo, DS2 7.9yo & DS3 6.5mo. DD and DS2 both have ASD and other health problems, and I'm recently single. No as I'm still bf DS3.

For those of you who have a shorter older child and a taller younger child...haven't you tried writing DS1 / DS2 or DD1 / DD2 on the clothes label if they have similar initials? My DS's would be horrified to wear each others socks / undies (Would YOU wear anyone else's?). Socks in a different colour, another one with a 'sock box' here - but I think my concept is different. I have a wastebin in the kitchen, and all dc that can walk are expected to take their dirty socks off, ball them up, and put them in the sock box. Then only pairs get washed, so always have pairs of socks!

Another one with a huge washing machine here, drying is the problem as it's pissing down due to the 'weather'. No room for lines in my very small house, only fitted one airer.

Lists. Calendar. Knowing how long it's going to take to get somewhere and being up 1.5-2hrs before we are due to leave. Packing the baby's bag EVERY night - so if I decide to go out on a whim I don't need to stop to pack it. enough uniform that I just do one per child per day and just do one load per dc on a friday night.

You do just seem to get more organised for every dc you have. Even if like me you're not naturally organised. When I only had one dc, I found it really hard work, thought it couldn't get any harder. I look back now with a hollow laugh and think it was a piece of piss cake having just one dc. But I wouldn't change my noisy, chaotic, happy house for the world. .

In fact these summer holidays I've not known what to do with myself, as the time the dc's have been with their Dad's has been 'separate', not all at once, so I've only had between 1 - 3 dc each day. It's been TOO QUIET! I went round my friends' house the other day, when I had only 2 dc, because she has 10, 7 still at home (but her eldest was there with her ds, so there were still 10 dc age 14 down to 6.5mo!)

I had 4 under 4 at one point but I now have 4 under 6. I look back and wonder how I managed at the time as they are getting easier now but I guess you just do because you have to and it's only really hard for a short time.