How to cope looking after 3 children?

[Hannah2199]

Really struggling to look after all 3 children on days I have them by myself. They are 7, 5 and 6 months.

It seems they all need my attention all the time, or 2 of them are missing out on attention because I'm dealing g with the others like trying to get the baby to nap.

Staying home is ok now weve got so many things to play with from Christmas but in a few weeks when all the Lego/independent toys are finished with it's going to be tricky containing my energetic eldest.

Attempted trip out the other day but 7 and 5 year old constantly running off, not listening etc. Made it very difficult and lunch was tricky because baby now needs proper food and takes ages whereas the others had finished and were messing around. I've tried taking games etc with me but there is only so much physical stuff I can carry everytime we go out.

House is a tip. In the day I've just about time to do some washing hang it up and put clothes away and maybe wash up. But just doing the essentials isn't working I feel claustrophobic.

Try to get things done on a night time but also have baby that goes to bed at 7/8 and gets up at 11 wide awake for 3 or 4 hours at a time. Eldest gets up at 6 so no sleep here either.

OH says just lower expectations and put kids in front of tv. Even then they are constantly bickering. Is this normal, I didnt have siblings so I'm struggling to know where to intervene and when to let them figure it out themselves. The constant noise is doing my head in and I'm starting to feel quite anxious day to day.

We also have some fantastic times and it can lots of fun but I just dread afternoons and the long early evenings until OH gets home when everyone is tired and hungry and crying.

Any tips for survival and dividing time between 3 kids please? Especially once baby is crawling/walking and needs constant attention

[tostaky]

I have 11, 9 and 7 years old.
What about playdates? From 4, i started playdates and it has been great.
To have one less child for a couple of hours is fantastic and allows me to enjoy better the other two (or for those two to have some special time)
To have an extra friend (or two, or three!) is 100 times better than a new toy! They entertain each others. If they get stuck: playdoh, hama beads, laser guns, marble run.
As they get older, i find that having a friend each for playdates works really well and is less work than inviting only one friend (the two friendless others end up being resentful and misbehaving.)

[tostaky]

Also, if you can afford a mother help in the evening... that makes a big difference!

[Charles11]

I’ve got the same age gap dc as you.
Having some kind of structure to the day really helps.
I took them out every day. To the park, see the ducks, walks in the woods or the garden.
Take snacks.
Then in the afternoon they’d be calmer so it would be playing with toys or doing some arts and crafts.
I had art books and Pinterest for ideas. They made some fab stuff using toilet rolls or boxes and did some great art.
They played with toys and looked at books about dinosaurs or sharks.
Once they’d done that, I didn’t care about how much tv they watched. Some of it is really educational.
They got into wildlife programmes and loved Steve Backshall.