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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask you to tell me great things about having three kids?

184 replies

lalouche · 15/01/2014 19:15

Ok, sort of a thread about a thread, sorry, but reading all the comments about how 3 kids is a nightmare and loads of people wish they'd stopped at 2...anyone want to tell me why it was a great decision to have a third? I'm 34 weeks with dc3 and while pg was planned, I'm now a bit panicked about what we are letting ourselves in for. Too late to change our minds, clearly Grin, but please make me feel less anxious! I'm only being semi-facetious- I'm surprised by how worried I am, at a stage when I feel like I should be feeling super-positive and excited.

OP posts:
Original poster
lalouche · 16/01/2014 12:11

ooh, discussion of the day! how exciting:)

OP posts:
TheseAreTheJokesFolks · 16/01/2014 12:14

I have a teenager, a 'threenager' (terrible twos threes) and a baby.
The baby is the easiest by far and takes my mind off the other two Wink

sophe29 · 16/01/2014 12:21

Im only 4 weeks in with No3 but so far so good. However DC1&2 are 6&4 so can help out a bit with holding/feeding/entertaining whilst I run around like a crazy woman trying to get breakfast ready etc. It might be much harder were they younger.

Loads of people who were still in the young child stage were quite negative with me about three kids when I was pregnant, however, I then met a succession of older women, whose kids were now grown up and who had had three or four kids. They were so positive and content and said how pleased they were they had more than two. Admittedly they have probably forgotten the hard, hellish years but they all were so content with their lives and the choice to have three kids.

Like most of parenting, the early years are hell but it gets better is probably my take home message! Good luck!

MrFranklyShankly · 16/01/2014 12:31

I had dd3 in July and for the first few weeks I thought what have I done, it just took us all a while to get used to our new little person, but she's 6 months now her sisters ADORE her and they are soooooo cute when they're all snuggled up together, woundnt change it for the world also love the thought of having a nice noisy house when they are older,esp at Xmas ;-) best of luck with the rest of your pregnancy.

Frankly

clara85 · 16/01/2014 13:04

currently only 5 weeks preg with 3 and will have 3 under 4 when baby is born so reading this thread to cheer me up and make me think im not insane after reading the other one :) thanks for sharing x

PoshPaula · 16/01/2014 13:10

The pros of having three children?

Well it's quite simple. They're all basically GORGEOUS and you find yourself loving them in completely different ways but equally as much.

My boys are 21, 5 and 3. Fantastic!

sparkletoes · 16/01/2014 13:17

Soo glad I logged on, been feeling very much like LaLouche (am 33 weeks) and really needed to hear these comments! Thank you all. Now going to steer the heck away from that other thread...

CointreauVersial · 16/01/2014 13:23

Love the noise, the chat, the bustle, the activity.....

Mine are now 14, 12 and 10. Family mealtimes are lovely; they are like a little group of adults sometimes. If one or more of them is out, the house feels so quiet and dull.

I'm also looking ahead to big family Christmases, and tons of (hopefully) grandchildren!

LongDeadMotherofHorrors · 16/01/2014 13:28

Three is tougher than two but it's more varied and definitely fun.

laregina · 16/01/2014 13:38

I agree completely that it's joyful chaos. When they're all getting on (which is about 90% of the time thankfully) and we're sitting in the front room together playing the wii or watching a film I feel so proud (and slightly smug probably) of my lovely big family.

Sometimes I get a bit overwhelmed by it all but then when the house is empty I feel like it's too quiet Confused

My tip is to invest in a fridge lock Grin

icravecheese · 16/01/2014 13:38

Not had time to read all the thread, but we have 3 kids (6yo (boy), 4yo (girl) & 2yo (girl). So I had 3 kids within 4.5 years.

It was honestly THE best thing we ever did deciding to have a third. She is our complete baby of the family, everybody dotes after her. The 2 girls now share a room, in which they spend hours playing together. Our eldest (son) is the big brother and relishes that role.

I did worry more whilst pregnant with no.3 though, I'm not sure why. I worried about her fitting in to family life / what if we'd tempted fate having already had 2 healthy babies etc. But we don't regret it one bit. Yes, its hard work, but in my opinion, no more so than having 2.

Good luck and enjoy your number 3, its COMPLETELY FAB!! Grin

icravecheese · 16/01/2014 13:39

Sorry... I didn't mean to sound smug in my "i had 3 kids in 4.5years"....just illustrating the age gap and how it was fine Wink

2tiredtocare · 16/01/2014 13:42

I love having 3, wouldn't change it for the world

LaGuardia · 16/01/2014 13:42

Amazing how many on this thread have 3 boys/3 girls. Wondering how long it will take for DC4 to arrive..........Wink

2tiredtocare · 16/01/2014 13:44

Grin cheeky!

JugglingFromHereToThere · 16/01/2014 13:44

I'm one of 3 and we had a great childhood - lots of fun. I have a brother and a sister which is great, and my DParents now have 7 grandchildren - it's lovely to see the cousins get together in various combinations, often at my DParents place. My sister's little girl adores my (older) DS for example.

I guess I'm getting a bit ahead as you're just expecting DC3 ATM, but so many happy times ahead lalouche - and you can still squeeze 3 onto the backseat, so what's the problem ?! Smile
Good luck ! Thanks

softlysoftly · 16/01/2014 13:49

I need to watch this thread as 16 weeks with unplanneddc3!

For my tutuppence worth though I am one of 4 and DH is one of 5 (4 still with us ), we all get on, there is always someone there for you who you can talk to and rely on totally to have your back and help far more than friends.

I would never ever be without my sisters so although baby stage may be tough I think god willing no family dramas I am glad my dcs will have more siblings.

Needingthework · 16/01/2014 13:53

I'm one of 3 and I have 3.

DS3 was not in the plan, but I wouldn't change it. He has had such an important and positive impact on the family.

Love the noise, chaos, etc. The 'gang' thing is true as they do look out for each other.

Embrace it and enjoy Smile

hopskipandthump · 16/01/2014 13:58

Mine are 6, 4 and 2 and it's fab. Our house is quite noisy and busy during waking hours (occasionally during sleeping hours too!) That's part of the fun.

I especially like

  • the way that they are constantly playing together - there's always a new game being made up and excited voices
  • the way the car feels 'full' when we're all in it - much more so than with two on the backseat, perfectly ordinary outings feel like a bit of an adventure.
  • the fact that there's always at least one child who likes what I've cooked for dinner :)
  • the way it prevents you polarising qualities (with two there's more of a temptation to see one as the 'bright one' or the 'pretty one' or the 'helpful one' etc.) It's clear that they're each a mixture of their own individual qualities
  • the way they team up in different ways for different activities
  • the fact that when one has a friend over for a playdate, the others can play together and not feel left out
  • the way they don't NEED anyone else to play with (though of course it's fun, and we do go out with / play with other families often - but on holiday etc. they are a self-sufficient little group
  • the fact that i feel justified in buying certain nice toys/clothes etc. because three DC will get use out of it
  • the way that this number just feels instinctively right to me. I couldn't have stopped at 1 or 2, I feel able to stop now (to DH's relief)
busyboysmum · 16/01/2014 14:03

I love having 3, have 11, 8 and 2 and the little one has brought the best out in the older 2.

So lovely seeing them interact together. Dilutes some of the competitiveness between the 2 older ones.

I feel so proud when I am out and about together, we are a happy noisy joyful crowd!

I always wanted a lively busy fun household, we had a 2 child family growing up and I loved going to my cousins where there were 4 of them. Always seemed more fun. And I like the mix of age groups. Nice to see them all getting on together.

triplets · 16/01/2014 14:32

and I have da da...................TRIPLETS!!! 16 on the 27th!

deliverdaniel · 16/01/2014 14:33

Love this thread! (I started the other one :-))

Also interesting to see that depending on how you phrase the question on MN you get totally different responses! I phrased hte last one in a slightly provocative/goady way in order to get the worst case scenario thrown at me and that was what happened! Lovely to get the other side of the story. Now I just have to persuade my DH that we need another one!

PenguinsDontEatKale · 16/01/2014 14:34

Marking my place on this thread as I'm expecting no. 3 too!

BoffinMum · 16/01/2014 14:34

Never boring, and pressure on the kids to achieve and be perfect is diluted.

wasabipeanut · 16/01/2014 14:40

They look really cute squashed up together across the back seat of the car Grin

Mine are 6, 4 next week and 19 months. It's bloody hard work at times but they are such a lovely lot. They all play together (and fight) and the older 2 adore their baby brother. Number 3 is such a smiley, biddable little chap. I think he figured early on that third kids have to be cute to get any attention Wink