Anyone have 4 or more children and a fulfilling career?

[thefabfour]

Just looking for inspiration really.

Resigned from my part-time position after DC4 arrived and have been a SAHM for the last year.

I'm currently completing a part-time MBA that I started whilst I worked but I think I'm starting to lose confidence that I can be a good mum and work. It dosen't help that people keep telling me that I shouldn't even contemplate working with the number of children I have. (DS1 7, DD 5, DS2 3 and DS3 is 2 years)

My DH also seems to enjoy me being at home a bit too much whihc makes me feel a little unsettled

What do those of you who work do? and how do you navigate this from the perpective of childcare?

i have 4 dc and work 4 days a week as a social worker 1 of those days is from home so am still able to load the washing machine as i do paperwork..... this is also a benefit in the school holidays as i only need to get the children looked after 3 days a week if i havent taken A/L or accumulated TOIL.

Seems to work so so if im honest, however i do always feel stressed my house is never really tidy which stresses me out more

having said that i dont like doing housework so seems a good excuse to leave it all

Thats how I feel kentmum. I'm not a very good housewife but as dh and I both work part time I feel we have a shared responsibility for household tasks, and fortunately hes very good at shopping and cooking! Altho rubbish at tidying if the truth be told. We have a great cleaner though who I couldnt live without.

I take my hat off to you all. I have 1 DS (born when I was 40 so a late starter), a dog and a DH who works abroad most of the time. All I manage is some very, very part time Territorial Army. For me having a dog is like having a 2nd child in terms of being a real tie and would be the most difficult to manage working fulltime.

Hi

This is an interesting thread. Dp and I have 4 kids and another on the way. Until recently I have worked full time but handed my notice in when I fell unexpectedly pregnant with this one while still on mat leave. I am loving being at home with the kids at the moment, but I know that I'm not cut out to stay home full time forever so am considering my options.

The biggest headache seems to be childcare during the holidays - what do others do? We don't have a spare room for an au pair and the other options just seem so prohibitively expensive.

I was the main bread winner before I resigned and am toying with the idea of being the sole breadwinner while dp stays home with the kids for a bit. Has anyone else swapped roles with their dp? Most people look at me like I am insane when I mention it :O/ I would be interested to hear others experiences on this

SG

My boss has 4 kids...and a husband who works from home....and a housekeeper....and a nanny.

I'm not critising her, just pointing out what it takes for her to make it work.

She is sort of running the world though within the industry I work in...

I have 4 and have worked full-time (when they were 7, 6, 4 and 1) , part-time (now) and not at all (when I only had 3 - but all under 3) so diff things for different stages. I needed a nanny when I worked fulltime as she managed all of the logistics getting them to school with all the right stuff. I am pt now with childminder for the 3 yr old, after school care for biggers ones, a cleaner ....but find this really stressful as I spend the day at work trying to sort pick up from a late finishing cricket match etc. I have had a real headache with it all and I am thinking of getting a nanny back in the autumn - as we also have school holidays to manage..... illness is an issue...which a nanny could sort...have had all 4 of them down with chicken pox over the past 4 weeks..with me trying to work from home tearing my hair out...lost a contract over it...so belt and braces from sept will get a nanny for 4 days and will only work for 3...use extra day to catch up 1 to 1 etc

Hi all,
We have 4 children -all under 7, hubby works full time and i am a stay at home mom f.time. thinking of going for a 5th b4 time runs out!, My house is tidy and clean and the bigger children(7 & 5) have gymnastics class's weekly, my 3 year old has p.t nursery and my 2 year old is with me most of the day. Generally no one miss's out on anything. I love my kiddies and dont feel like i need to work or have time out from them to keep me sane, was even thinking of fostering when they all get big enough to leave home. BUT, Can i have some advice from other moms of 5 -if its a mad idea!! - does 5 upset the balance?? thanks all

5 blimey i knwo i would stuggle with 5 i think its a daily struggle managing 4 especially as they grow older IME it was sooooo much easier when they were younger ...... im actually looking at changing my job as working 4 days a week and looking after 4 dc and a house is virtually impossible as there is no me time

so i plan on working 3 days a week when i change jobs

i am thinking about getting in a cleaner as i really find it a struggle finding the time to clean (even though i dont enjoy it)

also childcare is soooo expensive im only paying childcare for 2 dc now so it is getting cheaper on that side of it but then become more expensive on the other side of it as they want more the older they get