Help! Only three dc but struggling to divide my time.

[BigBirthdayGloom]

I have three dc, 7, 4 and 2 and I find it nearly impossible to have time with them all. I rarely manage to do one on one activities with them because I either get interrupted or involved with chores or have to spend the time hearing reading, supervising homework or getting basic washing and dressing done. Also, I feel run ragged at the moment so it hardly feels like quality time with them as really, truly at any given moment my head and body are telling (nay - begging!) me to lie down in a darkened room.
How do you manage with three, four or more to get proper time with each child? I guess my routine might need sharpening up but I'm after suggestions from the wise, please!

Hiya!

I have three - 5, 2 and 10 months.

When the younger two are in bed I do DS' reading with him. It might only be for 10 minutes, but that's fine at that age ( I think). It's better than nothing!

Time with the baby when older two are at school/nursery (2 year old got 15 free hours when DP lost his job).

As for the middle one... As and when really... We go to the library and she chooses books, puts them through the machine then we go home and read them. The baby sometimes listens, sometimes cries, but I try to spend some time focusing on the 2 year old.

Bit too tired to think, sorry!

Staggered bedtimes. Story with middle child while baby naps. Baby doesn't need so much attention, and will get stimulation from the other 2 and the routine that brings - walk to school counts as outing for the youngest!
2 year old can be chatted to while you load washing machine (can even help) but forget superior standards of housekeeping unless you have help.
Work out what simple tasks 2 year old can do (not really helping but keeps them occupied) - chopping mushrooms with blunt knife, dusting, helping sort laundry.
With hindsight, I'd say concentrate on middle child.

I need to think nuggets of time rather than hours, don't I? My seven year old gets frustrated that I can't find enough time to sit with her to properly do craft activities, but partly I think that's because she wants to do it there and then and realistically that can't always happen. I can't go feeling guilty about that. I'm thinking that perhaps half an hour extra evening time would be possible.

Just need to get myself more sleep so that I've got the mental space and patience to do stuff when I can. At the moment I'm so tired and stressed out with managing a big building project that I desperately crave time to not think about anything. But even if we are watching too much telly I can at least cuddle up with them while we do it.

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated.

Try and get all children to help also to ease what you do.

Ie : all clothes straight in washing basket so you don't have to Round things up. Elder two get dressed themselves.

Also find something they can all do in own way at the same time. So if eldest wants to do craft, the youngest gets paper and pens to draw next to them.

Reading practice all together. Ie after school you all sit down, eldest reads their book to you and 4 and 2 year old. Then 4 year old tries reading, then the 2 year old chooses book and you read it to all 3 of them